What is microcystin?
Microcystin is a potent liver toxin and possible human carcinogen. Cyanotoxins can also kill livestock and pets that drink affected waters. Fish and bird mortalities have also been reported in water bodies with persistent cyanobacteria blooms.
Which cyanobacteria produces microcystin?
Microcystins are produced by Dolichospermum (previously Anabaena), Fischerella, Gloeotrichia, Nodularia, Nostoc, Oscillatoria, members of Microcystis, and Planktothrix.
What algae produces microcystin?
blue-green algae
Microcystins—or cyanoginosins—are a class of toxins produced by certain freshwater cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae.
Is microcystin an algae?
Microcystis aeruginosa is a single-celled blue green alga, or cyanobacterium, that occurs naturally in surface waters. Microcystis can proliferate to form dense blooms and mats under certain conditions (see Figure 1).
Is Microcystin an algae?
Are cyanobacteria photosynthetic?
Cyanobacteria are aquatic and photosynthetic, that is, they live in the water, and can manufacture their own food. Because they are bacteria, they are quite small and usually unicellular, though they often grow in colonies large enough to see.
What does microcystin do to animals?
Symptoms of microcystin poisoning in domestic animals include diarrhea, vomiting, weakness and recumbency [8, 9]. Unfortunately, some animals appear to be attracted to cyanobacteria in water and dried crusts of algae on top of the water [reviewed by 35].
WHO guidelines microcystin?
1µg per liter
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a preliminary guideline for microcystin concentrations in drinking water of 1µg per liter. This guideline is based on concentration in whole-water as ingested and assumes an adult consumes 2 liters per day.
What does microcystin do to animals and to humans mode of biochemical action and signs symptoms?