Extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) produced by the filamentous cyanobacterium identified as Leptolyngbya sp. IkmLPT16 were isolated and characterized chemically, and their antioxidant, functional, and rheological properties were studied. The strain produces a significant amount of EPSs (2.15 g L −1 ) conjointly with a biomass production achieved at a maximum of 1.35 g L −1 after nine production days. Chemical analysis of EPSs revealed the presence of mannose (35%), arabinose (24%), glucose (15%), rhamnose (2%), and one uronic acid (8%). Fourier transformed infrared spectrum of EPSs further revealed the presence of νC-N groups indicating the presence of peptide moieties. Elemental analysis of EPSs showed the presence of sulfate groups (S = 0.59%) as inorganic substituents. Functional properties of Leptolyngbya EPSs were determined based on water holding capacity, oil holding capacity, foaming ability, and metal sorption ability. Experimental results showed high water holding capacity (119%), water solubility index (97.43%), and oil holding ability (87.52%), with a strong metal sorption ability and consequent foam stability (22%). The rheological properties of EPSs were comparable with commercial xanthan gum with higher resistance to Temperature. Leptolyngbya sp. EPSs displayed an effective antioxidant activity via directly scavenging free radicals particularly DDPH• (IC 50 = 4 mg. mL −1 against 10 mg. mL −1 for l-ascorbic acid) and •OH (IC 50 = 10 mg. mL −1 against 20 mg. mL −1 for l-ascorbic acid) and as an iron-chelating agent (IC 50 = 40 mg. mL −1 against 60 mg.mL −1 for EDTA). The outcomes of this study demonstrate the potential use of Leptolyngbya sp. EPSs in several food and pharmaceutical applications.

The present study developed a two-step strategy to enhance the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) by a thermotolerant chlorophyte, Graesiella sp., in view to their industrial valorisation. In the first step, Graesiella sp. was grown in outdoor conditions in pilot-scale photobioreactors of 100 L culture volumes. In the second step, the biomass collected in the exponential growth phase was submitted to heat stress (50°C). A joint production of biomass reaching 0.50 g dw L −1 day −1 and of EPS production reaching 1.30 g dw L −1 in 2 days was obtained. EPSs mainly contained polysaccharides (80%) and proteins (14%). FTIR and 1 HNMR revealed the presence of primary amine and sulfated groups. The EPSs contained antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and APX) maintained in an active state by the microenvironment offered by the EPSs. The EPSs were found to have a potent antioxidant activity via directly scavenging free radicals when compared to L-ascorbic acid.

This work was carried out to study the seasonal occurrence of cyanobacteria and their microcystin-LR in water column of Foum-Gleita reservoir (Mauritania). Limnological and biological factors were investigated at three depths (surface, -3, and -6 m) in this reservoir during a full year. Nutrients were analyzed by Spectrophotometry, phytoplankton was analyzed by Inverted Microscopy, microsystins were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry and environmental factors relationships were analyzed by Pearson's correlation and Multiple Linear Regression. Physicochemical analyzes have shown that this reservoir is hypereutrophic with dissolved inorganic nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations relatively high, varying from 1.39 to 6.53 and 0.21 to 0.57 mg/L, respectively. Annual surface water temperature was exceptionally high (27.8 ± 3.6°C), characterizing of a Sahelian climatic conditions. Phytoplankton analyzes have shown dominance of two toxic cyanobacteria species Microcystis aeruginosa and Dolichospermum os-aquae during warm season (May-September). Microcystins analysis revealed presence of only most toxic variant, microcystin-LR. Microcystin-LR concentration in the surface water samples, during cyanobacterial blooms, was consistently high (5.638 µg/L), exceeding 5-times the World Health Organization drinking water limit (1 µg/L), however, it was much lower (0.83 µg / L) at depth (-6 m). Analysis of environmental factors relationships showed that the most in uential factors on abundance of Microcystis aeruginosa and Dolichospermum os-aquae and variability of microcystin-LR concentrations were total phosphorus, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, iron, temperature and pH. Finally, the study clearly demonstrated need for regular monitoring of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the waters of studied reservoir.

Excess phosphorus and nitrogen inputs into freshwater ecosystems is one of the main causes of expansion of harmful cyanobacterial blooms worldwide. This work was conducted to study the impacts of phosphorus leaching from the exploitation of phosphate mines present in the watershed of Foum-Gleita Reservoir (Mauritania) on the water quality and its major contribution to the proliferation of harmful cyanobacteria throughout the year. The physicochemical parameters, the occurrence and abundance of phytoplankton (including cyanobacteria), and the microcystins concentration were monitored monthly from September 2017 to August 2018. The relationships between limnological and biological variables were explored by using Pearson's correlation and forward stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis. Microcystins were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Our results showed that this reservoir can be classified as hypereutrophic throughout the year and that Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) and Dolichospermum flos-aquae (D. flos-aquae) were dominant species during the rainy season (July-September), and only the congener microcystin-LR (MC-LR) was detected with a peak at 3.55 µg L−1. Pearson's correlation and MLR analysis showed that water temperature pH, phosphorus, nitrogen, and iron concentrations were the most important variables accounting for M. aeruginosa and D. flos-aquae abundance and MC-LR concentration. Our study provides new insight into the effects of moderate nitrogen concentrations on phytoplankton community composition with dominance of the cyanobacteria phylum in phosphorus-rich freshwater ecosystems.