Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Honors Thesis (Open Access)
Department
Colby College. Chemistry Dept.
Advisor(s)
Whitney King
Second Advisor
Denise Bruesewitz
Abstract
Cyanobacteria blooms are a growing concern in the world, as they can form a dense and sometimes toxin scum on water bodies. This paper will outline and discuss the environmental conditions that produce cyanobacteria bloom with a focus on the toxins produced by blooms and specifically the detection of these toxins through two analytical methods. Of the various toxins cyanobacteria are capable of producing, this paper will focus on microcystins and BMAA, a family of hepatotoxins and a specific neurotoxin respectively. The two analytical methods discussed are liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry and ELISA kit techniques. The advantages and drawbacks of both methods will be compared with suggestions for future directions studying MC and BMAA in the Belgrade Lakes and elsewhere.
Keywords
cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins, BMAA, microcystin, LCTOF, ELISA
Recommended Citation
Naimie, Lillian E., "Detecting Cyanobacteria Toxins: The Human Health Impact of an Environmental Problem" (2019). Honors Theses. Paper 936.https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/honorstheses/936