title: Bioaccumulation and Quantitative Variations of Microcystins in the Swartspruit River, South Africa.
abstract: The bioaccumulation and quantitative variations of cyanobacterial peptide hepatotoxin intracellular microcystin in floating scums of cyanobacterium microcystis flos aquae collected from predetermined sampling sites in the Swartspruit River was investigated. Three distinct MCs variants (MC-YR, MC-LR, and MC-RR) were isolated, identified, and quantified. Additionally, two minor microcystin congeners (MC-(H4) YR), (D-Asp(3), Dha(7))MC-RR) also were identified but were not quantified. Quantitative analysis was achieved using peak areas substituted on linear regression equations: Y = 10085x - 19698 (R (2) = 0.9998), Y = 201387x + 20328 (R (2) = 0.9929), Y = 2506x + 15659 (R (2) = 0.9999), and 9859x + 208694 (R (2) = 0.9929) of standard curves for 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, and 10.0 μg/mL MC-LR, MC-RR, MC-YR respectively. Variant dominance followed the order MC-LR > MC-RR > MC-YR across the sampling sites. Analysis of maximum and minimum concentrations of quantified MCs variants showed 270.7, 14.10 (µg/g), 141.5, 1.43 (µg/g), and 72.28, 0.15 (µg/g) for MC-LR, MC-RR, and MC-YR, respectively. This implies there was quantitative variations of microcystin congeners across the sampled sites. Significant differences between means were assessed by an analysis of variance with P < 0.05 being considered significant. Results showed that there were no significant difference between mean MCs concentrations across the sampling periods (P > 0.05) and significant difference between mean MCs concentrations across sampling sites (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa. eguzoziekennedy@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Kennedy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eguzozie
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Vuyo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mavumengwana
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Duduzile
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nkosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Eugenie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kayitesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Emmanuella C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Nnabuo-Eguzozie
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D052998:Microcystins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013019:South Africa; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D052998:Microcystins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical