Elucidating the factors influencing the biodegradation of cylindrospermopsin in drinking water sources.

The cyanotoxin cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is produced by several species of cyanobacteria and can be persistent in drinking waters supplies, which is of major concern to water authorities because of its potential to severely compromise human health. Consequently, there is a need to fully understand the persistence of CYN in water supplies, in particular, to determine whether this toxin is readily degraded by endemic aquatic organisms. This study provides insights into the environmental factors that can influence the biodegradation of this toxin in Australian drinking water supplies.

Investigation of cuticular hydrocarbons for determining the age and survivorship of australasian mosquitoes.

The cuticular hydrocarbon (CH) technique of age grading mosquitoes was evaluated for use on laboratory-reared Aedes aegypti (L.), Anopheles farauti (Laveran), and Ochlerotatus vigilax (Skuse). Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy was used to determine the relative abundance of five alkanes in hexane extracts from the legs of individual mosquitoes.

First report and toxicological assessment of the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii from Portuguese freshwaters.

The freshwater cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii has become increasingly prevalent in freshwaters worldwide. This species is a concern from a water quality perspective due to its known ability to produce a potent hepatotoxic alkaloid cylindrospermopsin, which has been implicated in outbreaks of human sickness and cattle mortality. C.

Human intoxication by microcystins during renal dialysis treatment in Caruaru-Brazil.

In February 1996, an outbreak of illness occurred at a hemodialysis clinic in Caruaru, Pernambuco State-Brazil. At this clinic 116 (89%) of 131 patients experienced visual disturbances, nausea, vomiting, and muscle weakness, following routine haemodialysis treatment. Subsequently, 100 patients developed acute liver failure.