African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 3 (12), pp. 667-674, December 2004          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2004 Academic Journals

Review

Microalgal toxin(s): characteristics and importance

Hikmet Katırcıoğlu^1*, Beril S. Akın², Tahir Atıcı¹

¹Gazi University, Gazi Education Faculty, Department of Biology Education, Teknikokullar, Ankara, Turkey.

²Gazi University, Gazi Education Faculty, Department of Science Education, Teknikokullar, Ankara, Turkey.

*Corresponding author.  E-mail: hturk@gazi.edu.tr; Tel: +90 312 2126470/3722; Fax: +90 312 222 8483.

Accepted  22 November, 2004

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic microalgae produce a wide array of compounds with biological activities. These include antibiotics, algicides, toxins, pharmaceutically active compounds and plant growth regulators. Toxic microalgae, in this sense, are common only among the cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates. The microalgal toxins is either important as material for useful drugs or one of the great mysteries in the world of biotoxicology. The aquatic poisons have long remained one of the great mysteries in the world of biotoxicology. There is evidence that these toxic organisms are on the increase, perhaps as a result of increased global pollution. The ability of cyanobacterial populations to produce potent toxins and annual examples of associated human and animal health problems have raised the position of cyanobacteria in the priorities for the management and protection of water quality in countries where health problems associated with the toxins have been perceived. The purpose of this review is to discuss the present understanding of microalgal toxins from microalgae in a manner that will stimulate interdisciplinary research with these microorganisms.

Key words: Toxin, cyanobacteria, microalgae, dinoflagellate.