Abstract:
Microcystin-LR is a potent mammalian toxin which is known to
have been responsible for the deaths of domesticated animals, and consequently
there is concern as to its environmental fate. An experiment was designed to
ascertain the degree of biodegradation of microcystin-LR, by enrichment of
natural microbial populations from Loch Rescobie, Forfar Loch and river
Carron, Scotland under aerobic conditions. It has been shown that the
microcystin-LR degraded at different half-life (D1/2) in Lochs Rescobie (6.5 d),
Forfar Loch (12.5 d) and river Carron (>14 d). Out of 30 bacterial isolates, 12
strains from Forfar Loch, 9 strains from Loch Rescobie, and 9 strains river
Carron were isolated. Three strains from Forfar Loch, 4 strains from Loch
Rescobie and 2 strains from river Carron showed strong MC-LR degradability
when they were screened by Biolog MT plate using three different concentrations
of MCLR (10 μgml–1, 1.0 μgml–1 and 0.1 μgml–1) as sole carbon source.
