Production of standards and development of analytical methods to monitor microcystins according to the Legislation #518 - Ministry of Health

• Grant number: 09/51328-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research in Public Policies
• Start date: August 01, 2009
• End date: January 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Agreement: NSF - American Universities (Chemistry)
• Principal Investigator: Ernani Pinto Junior
• Grantee: Ernani Pinto Junior
• Principal researcher abroad: Scott Gronert
• Institution abroad: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), United States
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Partner institutions: Secretaria de Saneamento e Recursos Hídricos (São Paulo - Estado). Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo (SABESP)

Abstract

The legislation # 518 (Ministry of Health) enforce the monitoring of microcystins (Iimit of 1μg.L-1) in water for human consumption. This task is very difficult for Brazilian water companies because microcystins are toxins considered chemical weapons. Only few international companies supply microcystins to be used as analytical standards. The aim of this project is to isolate and produce standards of microcystins in Brazil. Some activities are planned as follows: a) grow strains of cyanobacteria that are able to produce microcystins; b) collect toxic cyanobacterial blooms in order to get biomass; c) isolate microcystins by HPLC; d) identify microcystins by spectroscopy and spectrometry techniques; e) certify the standards of microcystins and f) develop analytical methods for microcystins monitoring by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS. This project is based on a bilateral cooperation between the University of São Paulo, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF-USP) and the São Paulo State Company of Water and Sanitation (SABESP). (AU)