The Influence of Algal Toxins and Taste-and-Odor Compounds on Water Usage in the Western Basin of Lake Erie

Microcystis;Lake Erie;Toxins;Geosmin;Natural Resources and Environment

Wyrobek, LeeDyble-Bressie, Juli ;

University of Michigan

关键词: Microcystis;    Lake Erie;    Toxins;    Geosmin;    Natural Resources and Environment;   

Others  :  https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/77598/WyrobekThesis_2010.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

The main purpose of this project was to determine if Microcystis aeruginosa, atoxic cyanobacteria species, was also a producer of taste-and-odor compounds. This wasdone using gene sequencing. The secondary purpose was to determine biotic and abioticfactors that contribute to taste-and-odor events during algal blooms. Understanding thefactors influencing taste-and-odor production is important because it can have atremendous effect on how people will continue to use water from Lake Erie. Samplingtook place at nine open water areas in the western Lake Erie basin and near the waterintake sites of two island communities. High geosmin levels (>> 0.004 ppb detectablelimit) were detected at multiple sites but genetic confirmation could not be obtained.Statistical analyses showed a correlation between geosmin, chlorophyll a, and totalphosphorus and that these factors may also be a cause for geosmin production.Phytoplankton counts also showed that Anabaena flos-aquae and Planktothrix sp. werepresent. These are not only known toxin-producers but also producers of taste-andcompounds.This study could not confirm or deny if Microcystis is a producer of thesecompounds as well as algal toxins. However, this phenomenon is occurring throughoutthe basin at locations where people use water recreationally and for consumption. Ifwestern Lake Erie is going to be removed from the Areas of Concern list then thissituation must be better understood and this includes further study of whether or notMicrocystis is a producer of these compounds as well as identifying the contributionsmade by these known taste-and-odor producers.