Skip to main content
Log in

Distribution of Hepatotoxic Cyanobacterial Blooms in Belgium and Luxembourg

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A survey of the distribution of cyanobacterial blooms in the southern part of Belgium, in Luxembourg as well as in bordering northeastern France was carried out for 4 years (1997, 1999–2001). In the 64 cyanobacterial bloom samples collected, Microcystis as well as Planktothrix were the most frequently encountered dominant bloom formers, followed by Anabaena, Woronichinia, and Aphanizomenon. The relative frequency of (co-)dominant genera was highly correlated to the geology of the catchments. Microcystins were found in 53% of the analysed blooms and their presence was mainly assigned to Microcystis dominance. The highest microcystin concentration of 2231 μg g−1 seston DW was recorded in a sample dominated by Woronichinia naegeliana. Among the 6 investigated microcystin variants, MC-LR was the most frequently detected whereas MC-LY was never revealed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • K. Anagnostidis J. Komárek (1985) ArticleTitleModern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes, 1-Introduction Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 38–39 291–302

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Anagnostidis J. Komárek (1988) ArticleTitleModern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes, 3-Oscillatoriales Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 50–53 327–472

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameAPHA (1995) Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater American Public Health Association Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • S. M. F. O. Azevedo W. W. Carmichael E. M. Jochimsen K. L. Rinehart S. Lau G. R. Shaw G. K. Eaglesham (2002) ArticleTitleHuman intoxication by microcystins during renal dialysis treatment in Caruaru-Brazil Toxicology 181–182 441–446 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0300-483X(02)00491-2 Occurrence Handle12505349

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bellière, J. & E. Groessens, 2000–2001. Le patrimoine sites et paysages-Les composantes naturelles des sites: géologie, pp. 59–72. In Tollet, R. (ed.), Bulletin de la Commission royale des Monuments, Sites et Fouilles-Tome 17. Région wallonne, Commission royale des Monuments, Sites et Fouilles, Liège.

  • M. Bouvy D. Falcao M. Marinho M. Pagano A. Moura (2000) ArticleTitleOccurrence of Cylindrospermopsis (cyanobacteria) in 39 Brazilian tropical reservoirs during the 1998 drought Aquatic Microbial Ecology 23 13–27

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Bowling (1994) ArticleTitleOccurrence and possible causes of a severe cyanobacterial bloom in lake Cargelligo, New South Wales Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 45 737–745

    Google Scholar 

  • C. W. C. Branco P. A. C. Senna (1994) ArticleTitleFactors influencing the development of Cylindrospermopsis and Microcystis aeruginosa in the Paranoá reservoir, Brasília, Brazil Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 75 85–96

    Google Scholar 

  • J. F. Briand C. Leboulanger J. F. Humbert C. Bernard P. Dufour (2004) ArticleTitleCylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Cyanobacteria) invasion at mid-latitudes: selection, wide physiological tolerance, or global warming? Journal of Phycology 40 231–238

    Google Scholar 

  • W. W. Carmichael (1994) ArticleTitleToxins of cyanobacteria Scientific American 270 78–86 Occurrence Handle8284661

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • W. W. Carmichael (2001) ArticleTitleHealth effects of toxin-producing cyanobacteria: ‘The CyanoHABs’’ Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 7 1393–1407 Occurrence Handle10.1080/20018091095087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • I. Chorus (2001) Cyanotoxins. Occurrence, Causes, Consequences Springer Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • I. Chorus J. Bartram (1999) Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water: A Guide to their Public Health Consequences, Monitoring and Management WHO London

    Google Scholar 

  • K. R. Clarke M. Ainsworth (1993) ArticleTitleA method of linking multivariate community structure to environmental variables Marine Ecology-Progress Series 92 205–219

    Google Scholar 

  • K. R. Clarke R. M. Warwick (2001) Change in Marine Communities: An Approach to Statistical Analysis and Interpretation PRIMER-E Ltd Plymouth

    Google Scholar 

  • G. A. Codd S. G. Bell W. P. Brooks (1989) ArticleTitleCyanobacterial toxins in water Water Science Technology 21 1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • G. A. Codd C. Edwards K. A. Beattie L. A. Lawton D.L. Campbell S. G. Bell (1995) Toxins from cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) W. Wiessner E. Schnepf R. C. Starr (Eds) Algae, Environment, and Human Affairs Biopress Bristol 1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Direction générale de l’aménagement du territoire, du logement et du patrimoine (D.G.A.T.L.P.) 2003. Atlas de Wallonie. Ministère de la Région wallonne, Namur.

  • J. C. Druart J. F. Briand (2002) ArticleTitleFirst record of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenayya et Subba Raju (Cyanobacteria) in a lotic system in France Annales de Limnologie 38 339–342

    Google Scholar 

  • I. Falconer J. Bartram I. Chorus T. Kuiper-Goodman H. Utkilen M. Burch G. Codd (1999) Safe levels and safe practices I. Chorus J. Bartram (Eds) Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water: A Guide to their Public Health Consequences, Monitoring and Management WHO London 155–178

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Fastner U. Neumann B. Wirsing J. Weckesser C. Wiedner B. Nixdorf I. Chorus (1999) ArticleTitleMicrocystins (Hepatotoxic heptapeptides) in German fresh water bodies Environmental Toxicology 14 13–22 Occurrence Handle10.1002/(SICI)1522-7278(199902)14:1<13::AID-TOX4>3.0.CO;2-D

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Fastner B. Wirsing C. Wiedner R. Heinze U. Neumann I. Chorus (2001) Microcystins and hepatocyte toxicity I. Chorus (Eds) The Cyanotoxins Springer Berlin 22–37

    Google Scholar 

  • R. S. Fulton H. W. Paerl (1987) ArticleTitleEffects of colonial morphology on zooplankton utilization of algal resources during blue-green algal (Microcystis aeruginosa) blooms Limnology and Oceanography 32 634–644

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Geitler (1932) Cyanophyceae Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Leipzig

    Google Scholar 

  • O. Hadas R. Pinkas E. Delphine A. Vardi A. Kaplan A. Sukenik (1999) ArticleTitleLimnological and ecophysiological aspects of Aphanizomenon ovalisporum bloom in Lake Kinneret, Israël Journal of Plankton Research 21 1439–1453 Occurrence Handle10.1093/plankt/21.8.1439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Henriksen (1996) ArticleTitleMicrocystin profiles and contents in Danish populations of cyanobacteria/blue-green algae as determined by HPLC Phycologia 35 102–110

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Henriksen (2001) Toxic freshwater cyanobacteria in Denmark I. Chorus (Eds) The Cyanotoxins Springer Berlin 49–56

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárek (1958) Die taxonomische Revision der planktischen Blaualgen der Tschechoslowakei J. Komárek H. Ettl (Eds) Algologische Studien Academia Praha 10–206

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárek (1991) ArticleTitleA review of water-bloom forming Microcystis-species, with regard to populations from Japan Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 64 115–127

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárek K. Anagnostidis (1986) ArticleTitleModern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes, 2-Chroococcales Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 43 157–226

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárek K. Anagnostidis (1989) ArticleTitleModern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes, 4-Nostocales Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 56 247–345

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárek K. Anagnostidis (1998) Cyanoprokaryota 1. Teil: Chroococcales H. Ettl G. Gärtner H. Heynig D. Mollenhauer (Eds) Süsswasserflora von Mitteleuropa 19/1 Gustav Fischer Stuttgart 1–548

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárek F. Hindák (1988) ArticleTitleTaxonomic review of natural populations of the cyanophytes from the Gomphosphaeria-complex Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 50–53 203–225

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárek J. Komárkova-Legnerová C. L. Sant’Anna M. T. P. Azevedo P. A. C. Senna (2002) ArticleTitleTwo common Microcystis species (Chroococcales, Cyanobacteria) from tropical America, including M. panniformis sp. nov Cryptogamie Algologie 23 159–177

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Komárkova-Legnerová P. Eloranta (1992) ArticleTitlePlanktic blue-green algae (Cyanophyta) from Central Finland (Jyväskyla region) with special reference to genus Anabaena Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 67 103–133

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Konopka (1989) ArticleTitleMetalimnetic cyanobacteria in hard-water lakes: buoyancy regulation and physiological state Limnology and Oceanography 34 1174–1184

    Google Scholar 

  • S. J. Lee M. H. Jang H. S. Kim B. D. Yoon H. M. Oh (2000) ArticleTitleVariation of microcystin content of Microcystis aeruginosa relative to medium N:P ratio and growth stage Journal of Applied Microbiology 89 323–329 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2672.2000.01112.x Occurrence Handle10971766

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • J. M. Lehtimäki P. Moisander K. Sivonen K. Kononen (1997) ArticleTitleGrowth, nitrogen fixation, and nodularin production by two Baltic Sea cyanobacteria Applied and Environmental Microbiology 63 1647–1656

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Maršálek L. Bláha F. Hindák (2000) ArticleTitleReview of toxicity of cyanobacteria in Slovakia Biologia 55 645–652

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Maršálek L. Bláha J. Turánek J. Neca (2001) Microcystin-LR and total microcystins in cyanobacterial blooms in the Czech Republic 1993–1998 I. Chorus (Eds) The Cyanotoxins Springer Berlin 56–62

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameOECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) (1982) Eutrophication of Waters. Monitoring, Assessment and Control OECD Paris 1–164

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Padisák (1997) ArticleTitleCylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenayya et Subba Raju, an expanding highly adaptive blue-green algal species: worldwide distribution and review of its ecology Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement 107 563–593

    Google Scholar 

  • H. W. Paerl D. F. Millie (1996) ArticleTitlePhysiological ecology of toxic aquatic cyanobacteria Phycologia 35 160–167

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Pechar J. Masojídek (1995) ArticleTitleColonial forms of the cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon flos-aquae represent protection against photosystem II photo-inactivation-fluorescence quenching analysis Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 77 37–43

    Google Scholar 

  • P.-E. Persson (1996) ArticleTitleCyanobacteria and off-flavours Phycologia 35 168–171

    Google Scholar 

  • G. D. Price D. Sültemeyer B. Klughammer M. Ludwig M. R. Badger (1998) ArticleTitleThe functioning of the CO2 concentrating mechanism in several cyanobacterial strains: a review of general physiological characteristics, genes, proteins, and recent advances Canadian Journal of Botany 76 973–1002 Occurrence Handle10.1139/cjb-76-6-973

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. Ressom F. S. Soong J. Fitzgerald L. Turczynowich O. El Saadi D. Roder T. Maynard I. Falconer (1994) Health Effects of Toxic Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae) Australian Government Publishing Service Canberra

    Google Scholar 

  • C. S. Reynolds A. C. Petersen (2000) ArticleTitleThe distribution of planktonic cyanobacteria in Irish lakes in relation to their trophic states Hydrobiologia 424 91–99 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1003901012233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. S. Reynolds A. E. Walsby (1975) ArticleTitleWater-blooms Biological Reviews 50 437–481

    Google Scholar 

  • P. P. Shen Q. Shi Z. C. Hua F. X. Kong Z. G. Wang S. X. Zhuang D. C. Chen (2003) ArticleTitleAnalysis of microcystins in cyanobacteria blooms and surface water samples from Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake, China Environment International 29 641–647 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0160-4120(03)00047-3 Occurrence Handle12742407

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • K. Sivonen (1990) ArticleTitleEffects of light, temperature, nitrate, orthophosphate, and bacteria on growth and hepatotoxin production by Oscillatoria agardhii strains Applied and Environmental Microbiology 56 2658–2666 Occurrence Handle2125814

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • K. Sivonen G. Jones (1998) Cyanobacterial toxins I. Chorus J. Bartram (Eds) Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water: A Guide to their Public Health Consequences, Monitoring and Management WHO London 41–111

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Sivonen S. I. Niemelä R. M. Niemi L. Lepistö T. H. Luoma L. A. Räsänen (1990) ArticleTitleToxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in Finnish fresh and coastal waters Hydrobiologia 190 267–275 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00008195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O. M. Skulberg B. Underdal H. Utkilen (1994) ArticleTitleToxic waterblooms with cyanophytes in Norway – current knowledge Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 75 279–289

    Google Scholar 

  • C. J. F. Ter Braak P. Smilauer (1998) Reference manual and user’s guide to Canoco for Windows: Software for canonical community ordination (Version 4) Microcomputer Power Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Utkilen O. M. Skulberg R. Skulberg N. Gjolme B. Underdal (2001) Toxic cyanobacterial blooms of inland waters in southern Norway 1978–1998 I. Chorus (Eds) The Cyanotoxins Springer Berlin 46–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Hoof, F., P. Castelain, M. Kirsch-Volders & J. Vanderekom, 1994. Toxicity studies with blue-green algae from Flemish reservoirs. In Codd, G.A., T.M. Jefferies & E. Potter (eds), Proceeding of the first international symposium on detection methods for cyanobacterial (Blue-green algal) toxins, 27–29 September 1993, University of Bath, UK: Detection methods for cyanobacterial toxins. Special Publication No. 149: 139–141. The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (UK).

  • V. M. Vasconcelos (1994) ArticleTitleToxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in Portuguese fresh waters Archiv für Hydrobiologie 4 439–451

    Google Scholar 

  • V. M. Vasconcelos (2001) Freshwater cyanobacteria and their toxins in Portugal I. Chorus (Eds) The Cyanotoxins Springer Berlin 62–67

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Watanabe (1992) ArticleTitleStudies on planktonic blue-green algae 4. Some Anabaena species with straight trichomes in Japan Bulletin of the National Sciences Museum of Tokyo Series B (Botany) 18 123–137

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Watanabe (1998) ArticleTitleStudies on planktonic blue-green algae 8. Anabaena species with twisted trichomes in Japan Bulletin of the National Sciences Museum of Tokyo Series B (Botany) 24 1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO, 1998. Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. 2nd edn., addendum to Vol. 2, Health criteria and other supporting information. World Health Organization, Geneva.

  • C. Wiedner I. Chorus J. Fastner (2001) The waterbodies surveyed for cyanotoxins in Germany I. Chorus (Eds) The Cyanotoxins Springer Berlin 6–21

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Wiedner P. M. Visser J. Fastner J. S. Metcalf G. A. Codd L. R. Mur (2003) ArticleTitleEffects of light on the microcystin content of Microcystis strain PCC 7806 Applied and Environmental Microbiology 69 1475–1481 Occurrence Handle10.1128/AEM.69.3.1475-1481.2003 Occurrence Handle12620831

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • E. Wilk-Woźniak (1998) ArticleTitleLate autumn mass development of Woronichinia naegeliana in a dam reservoir in Southern Poland Biologia 53 1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Wilk-Woźniak G. Mazurkiewicz-Boroń (2003) ArticleTitleThe autumn dominance of cyanoprokaryotes in a deep meso-eutrophic submontane reservoir Biologia 58 17–24

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Willame L. Hoffmann (1999) ArticleTitleBloom-forming blue-green algae in Belgium and Luxembourg Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, Algological Studies 94 365–376

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Willén R. Mattsson (1997) ArticleTitleWater-blooming and toxin-producing cyanobacteria in Swedish fresh and brackish waters, 1981–1995 Hydrobiologia 353 181–192 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1003047019422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B. Wirsing L. Hoffmann R. Heinze D. Klein D. Daloze J. C. Braekman J. Weckesser (1998) ArticleTitleFirst report on the identification of microcystin in a water bloom collected in Belgium Systematic and Applied Microbiology 21 23–27 Occurrence Handle9741107

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Y. Zhang E. E. Prepas (1996) ArticleTitleRegulation of the dominance of planktonic diatoms and cyanobacteria in four eutrophic hardwater lakes by nutrients, water column stability, and temperature Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53 621–633 Occurrence Handle10.1139/cjfas-53-3-621

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucien Hoffmann.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Willame, R., Jurczak, T., Iffly, JF. et al. Distribution of Hepatotoxic Cyanobacterial Blooms in Belgium and Luxembourg. Hydrobiologia 551, 99–117 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-4453-2

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-4453-2

Key words

Navigation