First report of a microcystin-containing bloom of the cyanobacteria Microcystis spp. in Lake Oubeira, eastern Algeria.

Lake Oubeira has been used as the main source of drinking water for many communities in the East of Algeria. In this lake, nutrient loading coupled with year-round warm weather favors the growth of cyanobacteria, several of which can produce cyanotoxins, especially the potent liver toxins called microcystins (MCYSTs). The present study evaluated microcystin levels and characterized the different microcystin variants present in the raw water during a 17-month period (April 2000-September 2001), as measured by protein phosphatase inhibition assays and by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, respectively. The results showed that microcystin concentrations in the lake water varied between 3 and 29,163 microg microcystin-LR equivalent per liter. The microscopic examination of the phytoplankton samples showed the dominance of the Microcystis genus in the cyanobacterial bloom. The highest MCYST concentration was observed in August 2001, at 29,163 microg/l. Therefore, the highest total MCYST content per phytoplankton biomass was found in August 2001, with 4,590 microg MCYST-LR equivalents/g dried bloom material. Analysis of the field bloom extract by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry demonstrated the presence of four variants of microcystins: microcystin-LR (MCYST-LR), microcystin-YR (MCYST-YR), microcystin-RR (MCYST-RR), and a demethylated variant of MCYST-LR (D-MCYST-LR).