1. [Microcystin in plants that treat water for human consumption in a tropical environment: the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica].
- Author
-
Lopez AA and Villa CA
- Subjects
- Costa Rica, Cyanobacteria isolation & purification, Enterobacteriaceae isolation & purification, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Escherichia coli isolation & purification, Humans, Seasons, Urban Population, Water Purification, Fresh Water chemistry, Fresh Water microbiology, Microcystins analysis, Water Microbiology, Water Supply analysis
- Abstract
We measured microcystin levels in water of the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica by competitive inhibition ELISA and we quantified total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli (by a Most Probable Number method) and aerobic count. We wanted to identify any cyanotoxin correlation with these parameters, as a public health risk. We sampled in the rainy season of 2003 (April-October) and in the dry season of 2004 (February-March) (30 samples/season). We sampled pre-treated, semi-treated and treated water. Microcystin levels < 0.5 ppb were found in the rainy season (and > 0.5 ppb in the dry season). Dry season levels exceeded World Health Organization limits (1.0 ppb). Cyanotoxins occurred in the Tres Rios plant. We did not find a correlation between these microbiologic parameters of water quality and microcystin levels in water.
- Published
- 2006