Performance evaluation of phycocyanin probes for the monitoring of cyanobacteria

The performance of two field probes (YSI 6600 and TriOS), used for the measurement of in vivo phycocyanin fluorescence, was compared and validated in the laboratory in 2008 and 2009 with cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa and field samples. The background noise of the two probes was low and the dete...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental monitoring 2011-01, Vol.13 (1), p.11-118
Main Authors: Bastien, Christian, Cardin, Richard, Veilleux, Éloïse, Deblois, Christian, Warren, Annabelle, Laurion, Isabelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry
Microcystis - chemistry
Microcystis - growth & development
Microcystis aeruginosa
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Phycocyanin - analysis
Reference Standards
Water Pollution - analysis
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Summary:The performance of two field probes (YSI 6600 and TriOS), used for the measurement of in vivo phycocyanin fluorescence, was compared and validated in the laboratory in 2008 and 2009 with cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa and field samples. The background noise of the two probes was low and the detection limits were estimated at 1500 cells mL −1 for the YSI and 0.69 µg PC L −1 for the TriOS. The linearity and repeatability of both probes have been excellent. Strong relationships were observed between the in vivo fluorescence and the total cyanobacterial biovolume ( R 2 = 0.82 YSI; 0.83 TriOS) or the abundance ( R 2 = 0.71 YSI; 0.75 TriOS) of cyanobacteria. However, the difference between cell densities determined by microscopy and measured by the YSI can be very large and has been associated to the variability of cell volume among cyanobacteria. This last observation makes the YSI a qualitative tool if a post-calibration is not done. The analysis of filtrated samples showed that dissolved phycocyanin (extracellular) may represent a significant fluorescence signal. No relationship could be established between the abundance, the total cyanobacterial biovolume or the in vivo fluorescence of phycocyanin and the concentrations of cyanotoxins ( R 2 ≤ 0.22). Two probes (YSI and TriOS) were tested in the laboratory and we discuss their performance, reliability and the limit to the interpretation of results.
ISSN:1464-0325
1464-0333
DOI:10.1039/c0em00366b