Use of in vivophycocyanin fluorescence to monitor potential microcystin-producing cyanobacterial biovolume in a drinkingwater source

Abstract

The source water of a drinking water treatment plant prone to blooms, dominated by potential microcystin-producing cyanobacteria, was monitored for two seasons in 2007-2008. In the 2008 season, the median value for potential microcystin-producing cyanobacterial biovolume was 87% of the total phytoplankton biovolume in the untreated water of the plant. Depth profiles taken above the plant's intake identified three sampling days at high risk for the contamination of the plant's raw water with potentially toxic cyanobacteria. Chlorophyceae and Bacillariophyceae caused false positive values to be generated by the phycocyanin probe when cyanobacteria represented a small fraction of the total phytoplanktonic biovolume present. However, there was little interference with the phycocyanin probe readings by other algal species when potential microcystin-producing cyanobacteria dominated the phytoplankton of the plant's untreated water. A two-tiered method for source water monitoring, using in vivo phycocyanin fluorescence, is proposed based on (1) a significant relationship between in vivo phycocyanin fluorescence and cyanobacterial biovolume and (2) the calculated maximum potential microcystin concentration produced by dominant Microcystis sp. biovolume. This method monitors locally-generated threshold values for cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystin concentrations using in vivo phycocyanin fluorescence.

Alternative Methods for Analysis of Cyanobacterial Populations in Drinking Water Supplies: Fluorometric and Toxicological Applications Using Phycocyanin

“…Reported sample non-detection in previous studies quantifying dissolved microcystins ranged from 4% using HPLC [40], 17% and 22% using LC/MS/MS and ELISA respectively [31], 82% using ELISA [4] and 48% [42] using ELISA. In this study, we used in vacuo speed-vac sample preparation for ELISA providing [42] [43] or dissolved toxins to mixed samples (total) toxins [31].…”

“…Metrics developed using improved techniques, including fluorometry, can be compared to existing metrics to determine efficacy. Fluorometric pigment analysis using phycocyanin may replace the need for cell counts and calculations of biovolume to describe cyanobacterial biomass [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]. Previous studies describing correlative relationships between cyanobacterial biomass and toxin levels suggest that community composition [8] [9] [10] [11] [12], relative abundance [3] [13] and physical size [9] [12] [14] of the cyanobacterial species within the population influence the results.…”

“…To assess and quantify this risk, a variety of monitoring programs and protocols have been developed tailored to specific objectives. Within this paradigm efficient allocation of personnel and financial resources becomes paramount, and can be guided via a metric based framework including those for recreational waters [1] [2] and drinking water supplies [3] [4]. Metrics developed using improved techniques, including fluorometry, can be compared to existing metrics to determine efficacy.…”

Short‐term displacement of Planktothrix rubescens (cyanobacteria) in a pre‐alpine lake observed using an autonomous sampling platform

“…Nonetheless, the ecological effects of such punctual events are poorly described because the rapid and occasional nature of their advent hinders their documentation using traditional sampling methodologies. More studies demonstrate the effectiveness of high-frequency data sampling by fixed fluorometer probes to monitor harmful cyanobacterial blooms (Leboulanger et al 2002;Brient et al 2008;McQuaid et al 2011) but broader spatial information is still limited (Porter et al 2009).…”

Spatio-temporal Characteristics of Cyanobacterial Communities in the Middle-downstream of Nakdong River and Lake Dukdong

“…되고 있어 (Bates et al, 2008;Senhorst and Zwolsman, 2005;Thackeray et al, 2008), 이는 현재 전 세계가 공통적으로 직 면한 심각한 수질문제가 되었다 (Paerl and Otten, 2013) (Bae et al, 2008;You et al, 2013), 남조류 독소 문제 (Choi et al, 2013;Lee et al, 2009;Park et al, 2000), 소독부산물 문제 (Park et al, 2006 (Ahn et al, 2007;Izydorczyk et al, 2005;McQuaid et al, 2011;Song et al, 2014;Vincent et al, 2004). Phycocyanin은 남조류의 대표적인 보조색소로서 남 조류 고유의 남색을 띄게 하는 색소이다 (Gantt, 1981;Maxwell and Johnson, 2000;Whitton and Potts, 2000).…”