Cyanotoxins: Characteristics, production and degradation routes in drinking water treatment with reference to the situation in Serbia

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are members of phytoplankton of the surface freshwaters. The accelerated eutrophication of freshwaters, especially reservoirs for drinking water, by human activity has increased the occurrence and intensity of cyanobacterial blooms. They are of concern due to their ability to produce taste and odors compounds, a wide range of toxins, which have a hepatotoxic, neurotoxic, cytotoxic and dermatotoxic behavior, being dangerous to animal and human health. Therefore, the removal of cyanobacteria, without cell lysis, and releasing of intracellular metabolites, would significantly reduce the concentration of these metabolites in the finished drinking water, as a specific aim of the water treatment processes. This review summarizes the existing data on characteristics of the cyanotoxins, their productions in environment and effective treatment processes to remove these toxins from drinking water.