Microcystis aeruginosa is common form of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) capable of producing toxic heptapeptide (microcystin) that cause illness or death. The comparison of molecular genetic method with the morphological characteristics of cyanobacteria was conducted. We have designed PCR primers (JJM98F, JJM1141R) for cyanobacterial 16S rRNA and phycocyanin intergenic spacer (PC-IGS) gene domain. To confirm the production of microcystins, PCR primers for the N-methyltransferase (NMT) domain of microcystin synthetase gene mcyA were designed using 21 cyanobacteria strains Most of isolated strains from the Nakdong River was classified as Microcystis aeruginosa and the similarities were 99% with M. aeruginosa AF 139292. 38.1% of isolated strains contained microcystin synthesis gene. NMT (N-methyltransferase) were not detected in isolated strain in several strains, which means non-toxic. However, the NMTs of the strains were detected during the cultivation.

The effective removal of microcystins by chlorination was investigated on a laboratory scale. With an initial chl.a concentration of more than 1,000 μg /ℓ, the required chlorine dose for the effective removal of microcystins from the raw water was more than 8.0 mg/ℓ. Whereas, a chlorine dose of 3.0 mg/ℓcould effectively remove microcystins from raw water containing a chl.a concentration of less than 1,000 μg /ℓ. The microcystin removal was more effective below pH 8.0, plus the optimum pH range was unrelated to the concentration of toxic algal material. Although chlorination is one of the most effective methods for reducing the toxin from blue-green algae, it causes cell lysis and toxin release. However, it was demonstrated that the released cell lysates and toxins could be effectively removed by a higher dose of the oxidant. The highest removal efficiency of dissolved microcystins(initial concentration: 280 μg L \^ -1/) was with a chlorine dose of 5.0 mg/ℓ.

In order to determine the factors causing Microcystis spp. bloom in the lower Nakdong River (Mulgum), we prepared wide ranges of pH, nutrient(N, P) concentration and the light through an enclosure experiment for 10 days (pH gradient: 6.5, 7.5, 8.5, 9.5; gradient of N, P: ½DW＋½River Water (RW), RW only; four different levels of nutrient addition/day; light: 100, 85, 60, 30, 15% of full sun light). From three days, the difference of Microcystis density in each enclosures was observed. The high density of Microcystis was maintained in the treatments over pH 9.5 and 85% of full sun light. However, in all nutrient treatments, relatively lower cell density than that of pH and light treatments was observed. These results suggested that pH and light input may play more important roles than nutrients in the early development of Microcystis bloom in the eutrophic lower Nakdong River.

During the spring and fall of 1994 and winter of 1995, the exposure time of periphyton biomass on the artificial substrata at 10 headwater streams in the southeastern Korea was evaluated in 7-14 day interval. In the streams with low periphyton biomass (chl a: 2-4 ㎎/㎡) in natural rocks, biomass of artificial substrata (unglazed the: 3.7 × 9.5 × 2 ㎝) exceeded that of the natural rocks after 28 days, while sites with high biomass (chl. a: 20-60 ㎎/㎡) in natural rocks showed slower biomass accumulation after 40 days. Due to the high light input and temperature in a partially shaded mountain stream, development of periphyton biomass in spring occurred faster than that of winter. In general, development of periphyton biomass placed on artificial substrata took 4-5 weeks in spring and at least 6 weeks in winter to reach the natural level.