Using of Daphnia pulex, Artemia salina and Tubifex tubifex for cyanobacterial microcystins toxicity detection

I. Kyselkova, B. Marsalek-2000

Biologia, 55 (6) : 637-643  (from Current Contents)

Abstract:

Four water samples from the Czech Republic and one sample from Slovakia containing cyanobacteria Microcystis wesenbergii, M. aeruginosa, Anabaena flos-aquae and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae were tested for microcystins. The content of total microcystins and microcystin-LR were analysed before testing by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The need for more ethical and economic assays is increasing in this days. We used the acute toxicity tests (microbiotests) with two typical zooplankton crustacean species: Artemia salina and Daphnia pulex, and one typical zoobenthic species: Tubifex tubilex. Immobilization of D. pulex and mortality of A. salina and T. tubifex were determined with microcystin-containing and microcystin-no-containing cyanobacterial extracts. Extraction and fractionation by C-18 cartridges of test samples were undertaken to select and isolate microcystin-containing fractions and to reduce interference from other fractions (pigments, carbohydrates, lipids etc.). The high correlation was found between toxic response of all species and the crude extract, and the fraction without toxins. There was not significant correlation between the species and the fraction without toxins. The sensitivity of species decreased in the following order: Daphnia pulex, Artemia salina, Tubifex tubifex. The study also showed that fractionation of the crude extract of cyanobacterial biomass can distinguish toxic effects of microcystins proper from those of other toxic compounds present in the crude extract.

(Acad Sci Czech Republ; Inst Bot; Kvetna 8; CZ-60200 Brno; Czech Republic, e-mail of B. Marsalek: marsalek@brno.cas.cz

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