The presence of microcystins in the coastal waters of Nigeria, from the Bights of Bonny and Benin, Gulf of Guinea

Author(s)

Kadiri, Medina O. ; Isagba, Solomon ; Ogbebor, Jeffrey U. ; Omoruyi, Osasere A. ; Unusiotame-Owolagba, Timothy E. ; Lorenzi, Adriana Sturion ; Bittencourt-Oliveira, Maria do Carmo ; Chia, Mathias Ahii

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research; v. 27, n. 28, p. 10-pg., 2020-06-26.

Abstract

Microcystins (MCs) are the most studied toxins of cyanobacteria in freshwater bodies worldwide. However, they are poorly documented in coastal waters in several parts of the world. In this study, we investigated the composition of cyanobacteria and the presence of microcystins (MCs) in several coastal aquatic ecosystems of Nigeria. Direct morphological analysis revealed that members of the genusOscillatoriawere dominant with five species, followed byTrichodesmiumwith two species in Nigerian coastal waters. Oso Ibanilo had the highest cyanobacterial biomass (998 x 10(3)cells/L), followed by Rivers Ocean (156 x 10(3)cells/L). Except for the Cross River Ocean, cyanobacteria were present in all the investigated aquatic ecosystems. Ten (10) out of twenty water bodies examined had detectable levels of MCs. Furthermore, genomic DNA analysis for themcyE gene of microcystin synthetase (mcy) cluster showed identities higher than 86% (query coverage > 96%) with toxic strains of cyanobacteria in all the samples analyzed. Also, the sequences of samples matched those of uncultured cyanobacteria from recreational lakes in Southern Germany. Our findings indicate that the presence of toxic cyanobacteria in coastal waters of Nigeria is of public and environmental health concern. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/15296-2 - Comparative metagenomics of cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater reservoirs from Pernambuco State
• Grantee: Adriana Sturion Lorenzi
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/11306-3 - The Effects of anatoxin-a and cylindrospermopsin at different nitrogen concentrations and photon irradiances on the physiology of Microcystis aeruginosa (Cyanobacteria) and Scenedesmus acuminatus (Chlolrophyta)
• Grantee: Mathias Ahii Chia
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 14/01913-2 - Comparative Metagenomics of cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater reservoirs from Pernambuco State
• Grantee: Adriana Sturion Lorenzi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Young Researchers
• FAPESP's process: 14/26898-6 - Unravelling some physiological and molecular processes involved in the allelopathic interactions between toxic and non-toxic phytoplankton
• Grantee: Mathias Ahii Chia
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor