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Method Development, Monitoring, and Occurrence of Microcystins in Ambient Water
Citation:
Tettenhorst, Dan, Joel Allen, A. Delacruz, AND J. Shoemaker. Method Development, Monitoring, and Occurrence of Microcystins in Ambient Water. 2016 SETAC Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, November 06 - 10, 2016.
Impact/Purpose:
Presentation describes microcystin method development in drinking and ambient water, with a summary of monitoring in ambient water for determination of method ruggedness, determination of microcystin congener profile, and comparison to ELISA concentrations.
Description:
The occurrence and intensity of cyanobacterial harmful blooms have become increasingly common over the last few decades. Cyanobacteria are a worldwide concern in areas with eutrophic water conditions. Cyanotoxins generated from cyanobacteria are harmful ecologically, cause economic impact, and are a public health threat. The accurate detection of harmful cyanotoxins has become increasingly important in the protection of human and ecological health. The US EPA has taken steps to improve the analytical methodology available for the detection and quantification of cyanotoxins. Specific steps include developing methods for cyanotoxins in drinking and ambient water and providing standardized detection and analysis methods for emerging cyanotoxins of concern. EPA recently developed Method 544 for determination of microcystins (MCs) in drinking water using solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Method 544 has been modified for use in ambient water. A review of these methods will be presented with a summary of the challenges associated with method development and modifications for ambient water analysis. A monitoring study for cyanotoxins was conducted in a local Ohio lake in 2015 and again in the summer of 2016. Total MC (extracellular + intracellular toxin) concentrations for thirteen MC congeners at several sites within the lake were measured. A summary of MC concentrations in water samples will be presented, including congener type and the frequency of detection. A comparison of concentrations measured by LC/MS/MS and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) will be presented, along with a comparison of data from the 2015 and 2016 sampling seasons. In a separate but related study, water samples will also be collected from various lakes or rivers around the United States with moderate to severe cyanobacteria blooms. Data will be presented from these samples for MC concentration, congener profile, and comparison to ELISA concentration.
