Simultaneous accumulation of anatoxin-a and microcystins in three fish species indigenous to lakes affected by cyanobacterial blooms

Abstract

A four-year study carried out in a lake with perennial water blooms caused by toxigenic Planktothrix agardhii (Oscillatoriales) and Anabaena lemmermanii, Anabaena flos-aquae, Anabaena spp. and Aphanizomenon issatchenkoi (Nostocales) revealed that the lakedwelling fish were threatened by simultaneous exposure to intracellular and extracellular microcystins (MCs) as well as anatoxin-a (ANTX). Higher contents of anatoxin-a and microcystins were found in livers than in fish muscles. This is the first report on ANTX accumulation in the common fish, indigenous to European freshwaters during perennial cyanobacterial blooms. Generally, the omnivorous roach (Rutilus rutilus) and Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) accumulated higher amounts of MCs in their tissues compared to mostly predacious perch (Perca fluviatilis), and similar amounts of ANTX. The longlasting presence of MCs exceeding the safe levels for consumption was found in fish muscles. ANTX accumulation in fish muscles (up to 30 ng g -1 FW) suggests the probability of its transfer in a food chain.

Impact of lake‐catchment processes on phytoplankton community structure in temperate shallow lakes

“…Next to the lowering of water quality, production of cyanotoxins and many other biologically active compounds is another negative effect of cyanobacterial blooms (Welker & Döhren, 2006). Cyano: Cyanobacteria; Chlor: Chlorophyceae; Bac: Bacillariophyceae; Din: Dinophyceae; Eugl: Euglenophyceae; Crypt: Cryptophyceae; Ulv: Ulvophyceae; pH; EC: electrical conductivity; Tf: flushing time; Z: mean depth; TOC: total suspended solids; TOC: total organic carbon; C: Lake Chuteckie; T: Lake Tarnowskie; P: Lake Pniówno; S: Lake Syczyńskie; s: spring; sr: summer; a: autumn harmful to lake biocenoses and living organisms and may, for example, accumulate in the trophic chain that incudes fish (Pawlik-Skowrońska, Toporowska, & Rechulicz, 2012). This creates risks for both ecosystems and humans as cyanotoxins are FIGURE 4 Indices of phytoplankton biodiversity in the lakes studied (chart with Lake Syczyńskie on the basis of data from Toporowska & Pawlik-Skowrońska, 2014) FIGURE 5 Redundancy analysis (RDA) biplots of environmental variables and particular phytoplankton groups (a) and phytoplankton samples collected in particular lakes and seasons (b).…”

Cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in Polish freshwater bodies

“…One of the highest concentrations of the toxin reported in the published papers was measured in Zemborzycki Reservoir (1,035.59 µg dm -3 of surface scum) (Sierosławska et al 2010) and Lake Syczyńskie (5,880.00 µg dm -3 in scum) (Pawlik-Skowrońska et al 2012).…”

Accumulation and effects of cyanobacterial microcystins and anatoxin-a on benthic larvae of Chironomus spp. (Diptera: Chironomidae)

“…may be an important vector of both MCs and ANTX to organisms higher in the food chain. They are an essential prey of fish (Kajak & Prus, 2003;Kornijów & Pęczuła, 2005), in which the accumulation of cyanotoxins (Pawlik-Skowrońska et al, 2012) is also recorded.…”

“…Currently little is known about the accumulation and influence of cyanotoxins on benthic macro-invertebrates (Kotak et al, 1996;Chen & Xie, 2008;Ibelings & Havens, 2008), in particular, the consequences of exposing the aquatic fauna to ANTX. There are several reports that exposure of fish to ANTX in the laboratory (Oberemm et al, 1999;Osswald et al 2007) and under natural (Pawlik-Skowrońska et al, 2012) conditions results in it accumulating and damaging the tissue of edible fish. There is no information on ANTX accumulation and effect of cyanotoxins on benthic larvae of Chironomus spp.…”