An alternative method to quantify 2-MIB producing cyanobacteria in drinking water reservoirs: Method development and field applications

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 151; pp. 618 - 627
• Main Authors: Chiu, Yi-Ting, Yen, Hung-Kai, Lin, Tsair-Fuh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.11.2016
• Subjects: 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB); 2-MIB-synthesis gene (mibC gene); Bornanes - analysis; Bornanes - metabolism; Cyanobacteria; Cyanobacteria - genetics; Cyanobacteria - growth & development; Cyanobacteria - metabolism; Drinking Water - chemistry; Drinking Water - microbiology; Genes, Bacterial; Real-time PCR; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Taste and odor; Water Microbiology - standards; Water Resources - supply & distribution; 2-MIB-synthesis gene (mibC gene); Real-time PCR; 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB); Taste and odor; Cyanobacteria
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.08.034

2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) is a commonly detected cyanobacterial odorant in drinking water sources in many countries. To provide safe and high-quality water, development of a monitoring method for the detection of 2-MIB-synthesis (mibC) genes is very important. In this study, new primers MIBS02F/R intended specifically for the mibC gene were developed and tested. Experimental results show that the MIBS02F/R primer set was able to capture 13 2-MIB producing cyanobacterial strains grown in the laboratory, and to effectively amplify the targeted DNA region from 17 2-MIB-producing cyanobacterial strains listed in the literature. The primers were further coupled with a TaqMan probe to detect 2-MIB producers in 29 drinking water reservoirs (DWRs). The results showed statistically significant correlations between mibC genes and 2-MIB concentrations for the data from each reservoir (R2=0.413–0.998; p<0.05), from all reservoirs in each of the three islands (R2=0.302–0.796; p<0.01), and from all data of the three islands (R2=0.473–0.479; p<0.01). The results demonstrate that the real-time PCR can be an alternative method to provide information to managers of reservoirs and water utilities facing 2-MIB-related incidents. •A PCR based approach was developed to quantify 2-MIB producing cyanobacteria.•The primer/probe set was successfully tested with 17 cultured strains and 13 sequences.•The approach was successfully applied in 29 reservoirs in Taiwan from 2012 to 2015.•2-MIB gene abundance well correlated with 2-MIB concentrations in the samples.•The large-scale field study may provide useful information about the applications.