Gj. Jones et al., PERSISTENCE OF CYCLIC PEPTIDE TOXINS IN DRIED MICROCYSTIS-AERUGINOSA CRUSTS FROM LAKE MOKOAN, AUSTRALIA, Environmental toxicology and water quality, 10(1), 1995, pp. 19-24
Dried Microcystis aeruginosa Kuetzing emend. Elenkin crusts estimated
to be 5-6 months old from the shore of Lake Mokoan were toxic by mouse
bioassay (LD100 100-140 mg dry wt/kg mouse). Fresh bloom material fro
m the lake was also highly toxic (LD100 25-35 mg dry wt/kg mouse). Mic
rocystin high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiles of the
crust and fresh material were very similar, with 24 compounds having
UV spectra consistent with microcystin LR. Five of the major microcyst
ins were purified and analysed by electrospray/mass spectrometry. The
molecular weights of these microcystins [910, 924, 982, 982 (two compo
unds), and 986] do not correspond with known microcystins. All five co
mpounds were hepatotoxic to mice with LD100 values ranging from 85 to
140 mug microcystin/kg mouse). Total microcystin contents (expressed a
s microcystin LR equivalents) determined by HPLC correlated with the m
ouse bioassay analyses (crust 2.1 mug microcystin/mg dry wt; fresh 4.1
mug microcystin/mg dry wt). These results suggest that microcystin is
protected from degradation while encapsulated within the dried Microc
ystis crusts. Leaching experiments demonstrated that re-wetting of the
crust material leads to rapid release of microcystins into the surrou
nding water. These observations have important management implications
for lakes and reservoirs where crusts of cyanobacterial material form
on the shoreline. (C) 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.