Determination of cyanotoxins in Argentina: a pending issue

AGUILERA ANABELLA; MARÍA VICTORIA MARTIN; GRACIELA SALERNO

Congreso; V Congreso Iberoameriacano de Cianotoxinas; 2017

Anthropogenic eutrophication and climate change play a key role in promoting the proliferation and expansion of toxic cyanobacterial blooms. In recent years there has been an increase in the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms in the Southern region of South America (CONOSUR). In Argentina, information on cyanotoxin occurrence is still scant and there are no specific regulations concerning cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in freshwater bodies. Regarding cyanotoxins, there are sporadic or single reports and few available historical data restricted to some specific rivers and reservoirs. Even though microcystins (MCs) are the cyanotoxins most frequently reported, the systematic monitoring is carried out by a very small number of laboratories. We have found native MCs producers populations of Planktothrix agardhii and Microcystis aeruginosa in drinking water supplies and recreational areas. Our research showed that M. aeruginosa isolated strains have the potential of constitutively expressing genes related to MCs and of producing the toxin at low or high light intensity, indicating the necessity of continuous and reliable toxin determinations. On the other hand, analytical measurements of cylindrospermopsins, saxitoxins and anatoxins are practically not carried out although blooms of potential producers are frequently reported. We could demonstrate the presence of active transcription of genes related to saxitoxin synthesis in a Raphidiopsis strain collected in a water body used for recreational activities. Taken together, these results highlight the urgent need to start monitoring cyanotoxins other than MCs in our drinking and recreational waters. The concern regarding the lacking of cyanotoxin determination has led us to organize this year a workshop to join researchers, governmental authorities and personnel from water treatment plants involved in this issue from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. The main goal of the meeting is to elaborate theoretical and practice guides for laboratories and institutions working on water quality in order to harmonize techniques for cyanotoxins detection.