REVIEW PAPER
The Natural Degradation of Microcystins (Cyanobacterial Hepatotoxins) in Fresh Water – the Future of Modern Treatment Systems and Water Quality Improvement
Ilona Gągała1, 2, Joanna Mankiewicz-Boczek1, 2
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1International Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences – European Regional Centre of Ecohydrology u/a UNESCO,
Tylna 3, 90-364 Łódź, Poland
2Department of Applied Ecology, University of Lodz,
Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2012;21(5):1125-1139
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ABSTRACT
The increasing occurrence of hepatotoxic cyanobacterial blooms in fresh waters is one of the most serious
risks to human health in the 21st century. Therefore, proper management of waters contaminated with
cyanobacteria requires elaboration of the appropriate methods to remove cyanobacterial hepatotoxins-microcystins
(MCs) from the environment. Many chemical and physical procedures have been proposed to remove
MCs from fresh waters, but more attention is now paid to more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient
techniques for MCs reduction. Therefore, this paper presents a summary of the current knowledge concerning
the possible use of natural processes with the participation of environmental bacteria for MCs degradation in
fresh water.