Cianoalerta: a strategy to predict the development of toxic cyanobacterial blooms in water reservoirs

Abstract

Cianoalerta:  a  strategy  to  predict  the  development  of  toxic  cyanobacterial  blooms  in  water  reservoirs.

Eutrofization  of reservoirs  supplying  drinking  water  deteriorates  water  quality,  and  may  affect  consumer’s  health.  This  is  the  case  of  the  hepatotoxin microcystin,  which  is  produced  by  the  cyanobacteria Microcystis  aeruginosa.  Within  the  framework  of  Cianoalerta  projects  we  have developed  methods  for  the  prompt  detection  of  specific  cyanobacteria  blooms,  a  crucial  step  towards  efficient  water  treatment,  thus improving  the  quality  of  the  product  supplied.  Seasonal  changes  in  zeaxanthin  and  beta-carotene  paralleled  those  shown  by  the cyanobacteria  Oscillatoria  spp,  Anabaena  and  cocoid  forms  of  cyanobacteria,  but  were  different  from  those  shown  by Microcystis. According to our results, these photopigments can be used as indicators of the dynamics of these cyanobacterial populations.