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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Early Detection of Cyanobacterial Blooms and Associated Cyanotoxins using Fast Detection Strategy
Published on: February 25, 2021
Bacterial degradation of microcystin toxins in drinking water eliminates their toxicity
Lionel Ho1, Anne-Laure Gaudieux, Stella Fanok
1Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment, South Australian Water Corporation, PMB 3, Salisbury, SA 5108, Australia. lionel.ho@sawater.com.au
Abstract:
Microcystin-LR and -LA were readily biodegraded by a bacterium, Sphingpoyxis sp. LH21, in a treated reservoir water. Detection of the microcystins was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibition assay and a cell-based cytotoxicity assay. The HPLC results correlated well with the two assays. The decrease in cytotoxicity, coupled with the associated decrease in microcystin concentrations, indicated that no cytotoxic by-products were being generated, highlighting the applicability of biodegradation as a feasible treatment option for effective microcystin removal.
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