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Access Type

WSU Access

Date of Award

January 2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S.

Department

Nutrition and Food Science

First Advisor

Ahmad R. Heydari

Abstract

ABSTRACT

MOLECULAR DETECTION OF CYANOBACTERIA IN LOCAL DRINKING WATER

by

ANDREW A. JAMES

May 2022

Advisor: Dr. Ahmad R. HeydariMajor: Nutrition and Food Science Degree: Master of Science Cyanobacteria, also referred to as blue-green algae, are oxygenic photosynthetic, gram-negative bacteria which are ubiquitous in nature and aquatic environments. Cyanobacteria blooms can be potentially harmful, posing a threat drinking water, recreational water, and aquatic ecology as they may contain toxin producing species. Microcystin and anatoxin are known toxins that are produced by some species of cyanobacteria inhabiting freshwater bodies. For this study, we analyzed environmental and household water samples collected from Adrian, MI on June 22, and September 14, 2019, for the presence of cyanobacteria. PCR amplification was used to detect the presence of Microcystis using genus specific primers, as well as cyanotoxin synthetase genes for microcystin and anatoxin-a, mcyA-Cd1 and anaC-gen, respectively. Results from the June collection revealed that 48% of the samples contained Microcystis spp. , and 4% were positive for microcystin synthetase gene. Results from the September collection revealed that 53% of the samples contained Microcystis spp. and 3% were positive for microcystin synthetase genes, while only one environmental sample was positive signal for anatoxin synthetase gene.

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