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Microcystis Sp. Co-Producing Microcystin And Saxitoxin From Songkhla Lake Basin, Thailand, Ampapan Naknaen, Waraporn Ratsameepakai, Oramas Suttinun, Yaowapa Sukpondma, Eakalak Khan, Rattanaruji Pomwised

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

The Songkhla Lake Basin (SLB) located in Southern Thailand, has been increasingly polluted by urban and industrial wastewater, while the lake water has been intensively used. Here, we aimed to investigate cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the SLB. Ten cyanobacteria isolates were identified as Microcystis genus based on16S rDNA analysis. All isolates harbored microcystin genes, while five of them carried saxitoxin genes. On day 15 of culturing, the specific growth rate and Chl-a content were 0.2–0.3 per day and 4 µg/mL. The total extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content was 0.37–0.49 µg/mL. The concentration of soluble EPS (sEPS) was 2 times higher …