Abstract
Microcystin, a cyanotoxin produced by Microcystis aeruginosa growing in eutrophic waters, can promote liver tumors in people ingesting contaminated water. To date, water treatment systems have not been effective in removing or degrading these cyanotoxins. In this work, we investigated the inhibitory activity of surfactants on the growth of M. aeruginosa and their application to extract the intracellular produced cyanotoxins. The experiments involving growth inhibition and extraction of cyanotoxins were carried out using the non-biodegradable surfactant cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) in addition to other biodegradable surfactants. These were Tween 80 and surfactants derived from amino acids and peptides, respectively, from arginine, SDA, and hydrolyzed peptone, SDP. We demonstrated that the tested surfactants could be used to inhibit the growth of M. aeruginosa. At this point, CTAB and SDA proved to be the most competent surfactants in reducing cyanobacterial growth. Moreover, microcystins have been successfully removed from the water employing a cloud point extraction protocol based on the use of these surfactants and ammonium sulfate.
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This work was supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [PIBIC/CNPq to T.B.L], Fundo de Apoio à Iniciacao Científica [FAPIC to T.B.L], and PROPESQ (PUC-Campinas).
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Tatiani Brenelli Lima did the experimental work and edited the text. Maria Estela Silva-Stenico ran the mass spectrometry analysis and interpretation. Augusto Etchegaray designed the experiments and edited the manuscript. Marli de Fátima Fiore contributed with her expertise on cyanobacteria and cyanobacterial toxins.
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Lima, .B., Silva-Stenico, M.E., Fiore, M.F. et al. Microcystins can be extracted from Microcystis aeruginosa using amino acid-derived biosurfactants. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 8767–8778 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16257-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16257-4