Toxicity ofAphanizomenon ovalisporum(Cyanobacteria) in a Spanish water reservoir

Abstract

The summer phytoplankton population in the Arcos reservoir (Spain), an oligotrophic/mesotrophic waterbody, was dominated by the cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum, accompanied by Planktothrix cf. agardhii and smaller proportions of other cyanobacterial species. The bloom remained for approximately 1 month in the summer of 2004. The Arcos reservoir had moderate conductivity, up to 1756 mS cm À1, and relatively high nutrient concentrations. Planktonic biomass collected during the bloom period was found to be toxic by the Artemia salina bioassay. Analytical procedures based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated the absence of microcystins and anatoxin-a but clearly demonstrated the presence of cylindrospermopsin (CYN), suggesting that CYN from Aphanizomenon ovalisporum was the compound responsible for the toxicity in the bioassay. Measurements indicate that up to 9.4 mg CYN l À1 were present in the sestonic fraction. This is the first report of high concentrations of this cyanotoxin in European waters and the first known instance of a massive bloom of the cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum in Spain.

Phylogeography of Cylindrospermopsin and Paralytic Shellfish Toxin-Producing Nostocales Cyanobacteria from Mediterranean Europe (Spain)

“…A. ovalisporum is a major source of CYN not only in subtropical and tropical areas of Australia, the United States (Florida), and Israel (9) but also in Mediterranean Europe, where A. ovalisporum can be considered the main CYN producer to date (56)(57)(58). Studies have shown levels of 9.4 to 18 g CYN liter Ϫ1 during A. ovalisporum blooms in Spain and Italy (57,58). A. ovalisporum is characterized by its genetic homogeneity worldwide (9; this study) and an unusually high proportion of CYN-producing strains, although 2 non-CYN-producing strains have recently been reported from Lake Kinneret, Israel (29).…”

Bismuth oxybromide promoted detoxification of cylindrospermopsin under UV and visible light illumination

“…Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is one of the common members of cyanotoxins which always cause human injury. CYN originates from several cyanobacteria, such as Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii [3], Umezakia natans [4], Aphanizomenon ovalisporum [5], Anabaena bergii [6], Raphidiopsis curvata [7], Aphanizomenon flos-aquae [8], Anabaena lapponica [9], Lyngbya wollei [10] and Aphanizomenon gracile [11]. CYN has neurotoxic effects (inhibition of protein synthesis by binding to liver DNA and forms single DNA adducts which results in liver damage), hepatotoxic effects (inhibition of glutathione synthesis in hepatocytes), and cytotoxic effects (inhibitor of cytochrome P450) [12].…”

Cylindrospermopsin: cyanobacterial secondary metabolite. Biological aspects and potential risk for human health and life

“…In Europe its presence was confirmed for the first time in two German lakes: Langer See and Melangsee (Fastner et al 2003). Subsequently this toxin has been found in several other water bodies in Spain, the Czech Republic and France (Quesada et al 2006, Bláhová et al 2008, Brient et al 2009). In Poland, CYN was detected for the first time in samples from lakes of Wielkopolska -Bnińskie, Bytyńskie and Lubosińskie (Kokociński et al 2009).…”