Biodegradation of multiple cyanobacterial metabolites in drinking water supplies

The fate of multiple cyanobacterial metabolites was assessed in two Australian source waters. The saxitoxins were the only metabolites shown to be non-biodegradable in Myponga Reservoir water, while microcystin-LR (MCLR) and geosmin were biodegradable in this water source. Likewise, cylindrospermopsin (CYN) was shown to be biodegradable in River Murray water. The order of ease of biodegradability followed the trend: MCLR > CYN > geosmin > saxitoxins. Biodegradation of the metabolites was affected by temperature and seasonal variations with more rapid degradation at 24 °C and during autumn compared with 14 °C and during winter. A microcystin-degrading bacterium was isolated and shown to degrade four microcystin variants within 4 h. This bacterium, designated as TT25, was shown to be 99% similar to a Sphingopyxis sp. based on a 16S rRNA gene fragment. Isolate TT25 was shown to contain a homologue of the mlrA gene; the sequence of which was 99% similar to that of a previously reported microcystin-degrader. Furthermore, isolate TT25 could degrade the microcystins in the presence of copper sulphate (0.5 mg L−1 as Cu2+) which is advantageous for water authorities dosing such algicides into water bodies to control cyanobacterial blooms.

► Biodegradation of metabolites was affected by temperature and seasonal variations.
► Ease of biodegradability followed the trend: MCLR > CYN > geosmin > saxitoxin.
► A microcystin-degrading bacterium was isolated and shown to be closely related to a Sphingopyxis sp.
► Isolate TT25 degraded four microcystin variants within 4 h in the presence of copper sulphate.