Study on the occurrence of microcystin toxin in water reservoir of Mundau (Garanhuns-PE) by ELISA and HPLC methodologies

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are responsible for the production of cyanotoxins, and once accumulated, it might cause serious harm to the human and animals health. Microcystins are the most common type of cyanotoxins and they cause liver tumor. The Mundau reservoir, located in the municipality of Garanhuns-PE, was the selected site for presenting historical blooms of microcystins-producing cyanobacteria. This study analyzed the occurrence of microcystins in raw water samples from the Mundau reservoir by using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methodologies. During the consecutive fifteen months, water samples were collected in duplicate at the intake point of this water source, and they were analyzed by both ELISA and HPLC techniques. The presence of microcystins was detected in 100 % of analyzed samples, confirming the relevance of performing the microcystins monitoring in public water supplies. And as well as the Mundau river, various water sources of Pernambuco show cyanobacterial blooms, which might be toxic. The techniques used in this study were implemented in the Central Laboratory of Public Health of Pernambuco (LACEN-PE), and they showed to be a relevant tools as a complementary methodology to the cyanobacteria counting assay for providing preventive subsidies to the health surveillance.