Study of Geosmin and 2-Methylisoborneol (MIB) Producers in Phayao Lake, Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB)-producing cyanobacteria and actinomycetes as sources of earthy-musty odours in Phayao Lake, northern Thailand. Known earthy-musty odour producers, Lyngbya sp., Phormidium sp., Anabaena sp. and Oscillatoria sp., were found as the dominant genera of cyanobacteria in the lake water.  Odour-producing Streptomyces spp. were also found to be significantly present in the lake sediment where majority of Streptomyces spp. (63%) isolated were geosmin-producers. The significant density of actinomycetes, particularly Streptomyces, suggests that they played as important contributor to the production of geosmin and MIB in the lake.