title: Methods for simultaneous detection of the cyanotoxins BMAA, DABA, and anatoxin-a in environmental samples.
abstract: Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, can produce several different groups of toxins in the environment including hepatotoxins (microcystins), neurotoxic non-protein amino acids β-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA), and 2,4-diaminobutyric (DABA), as well as the bicyclic amine alkaloid anatoxin-a. Few studies have addressed the methods necessary for an accurate determination of cyanotoxins in environmental samples, and none have been published that can detect these cyanotoxins together in a single sample. Cyanotoxins occur in a wide range of environmental samples including water, fish, and aquatic plant samples. Using polymeric cation exchange solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled with liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection (HPLC/FD), and liquid chromatography ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), these compounds can for the first time be simultaneously quantified in a variety of environmental sample types. The extraction method for biological samples can distinguish bound and free cyanotoxins. Detection limits for water ranged from 5 to 7 μg/L using HPLC/FD, while detection limits for and LC/MS were in the range of 0.8-3.2 μg/L.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health, Occupational Health, & Toxicology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA.
authors.forename: Maitham Ahmed
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al-Sammak
authors.forename: Kyle D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hoagland
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cassada
mesh_terms: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000032:analysis*; D000613:Aminobutyrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry*; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014326:Tropanes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000613:Aminobutyrates; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D014326:Tropanes; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine; C005959:2,4-diaminobutyric acid; C509783:anatoxin a
keywords: Anatoxin-a; BMAA; Cyanobacteria; Cyanotoxins; DABA; Methods