More and more toxins around–analysis of cyanobacterial strains isolated from Lake Chao (Anhui Province, China)

Lake Chao, China, is highly eutrophicated and experiences recurrent dense cyanobacterial blooms. Its surface water is used as drinking water resource for Hefei city, hence the potential toxicity of those cyanobacteria was of interest. Sixteen isolated strains of Microcystis aeruginosa evidenced that non-toxic, toxic and highly toxic strains coexist in the lake. Microcystin variants within one strain ranged up to 11, the concentration up to 4.799 mg g DW−1. Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed desmethylated microcystin variants.