Cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the environment and water intakes: Reports, diversity of congeners, detection by mass spectrometry and their impact on health

Cyanobacteria are aquatic microorganisms of high interest for research due to the production of secondary metabolites, among which the most popular are cyanotoxins, responsible for causing severe poisoning in humans and animals through ingestion or contact with contaminated water bodies. Monitoring the number of cyanobacteria in water and concentrations of secreted cyanotoxins with the aid of sensitive and reliable methods is considered the primary action for evaluating potentially toxic blooms. There is a great diversity of methods to detect and identify these types of micro contaminants in water, differing by the degree of sophistication and information provided. Mass Spectrometry stands out for its accuracy and sensitivity in identifying toxins, making it possible to identify and characterize toxins produced by individual species of cyanobacteria, in low quantities. In this review, we seek to update some information about cyanobacterial peptides, their effects on biological systems, and the importance of the main Mass Spectrometry methods used for detection, extraction, identification and monitoring of cyanotoxins.