Biomagnification or biodilution of microcystins in aquatic foodwebs? Meta-analyses of laboratory and field studies

Cyanobacterial blooms. Ecology, prevention, mitigation and control: Editorial to a CYANOCOST Special Issue

“…Our expanding knowledge of the risks of toxic cyanobacteria for humans and aquatic biota (D'Anglada, 2015;Kozlowsky-Suzuki et al 2012) adds a sense of urgency to mitigate, better yet to control or even prevent blooms. We distinguish three levels, i.e., prevention where the formation of blooms truly is prevented through management of nutrient availability for cyanobacterial development, control where blooms could develop in the lake but the treatment chosen restricts cyanobacterial growth to a level where risks and negative effects are minimal and mitigation where blooms have formed but they are reduced by physical or chemical methods to reduce negative effects, see final contribution to this Special Issue by Ibelings et al (2016) for a more in-depth discussion.…”

Emerging health issues of cyanobacterial blooms

“…A recent survey of literature data on biomagnification factors of MCs, showed that biodilution (BCF < 1) is the main process in aquatic environment for all primary consumers except for zooplankton and zooplanktivorous fishes, thus highlighting the importance of fish diet in their relative ability to bioaccumulate cyanotoxins [73]. BCF is also related to the length of exposure, which makes more relevant the problem in environments where toxic organisms are constantly present [73]. Recently, the death of 21 sea-otters in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary has been associated with the trophic transfer of MCs flown from three tributaries into the Ocean [74].…”

Transfer of microcystin from freshwater lakes to Puget Sound, WA and toxin accumulation in marine mussels (Mytilus trossulus)

“…However, MCs are stable and can be environmentally persistent in both freshwater and marine ecosystems (Tonk et al, 2007, Miller et al, 2010. Recent studies show that MC contaminated freshwater can deliver toxins into marine environments (Miller et al, 2010, De Pace et al, 2014, Gibble and Kudela, 2014 raising concerns that biota may accumulate and potentially transfer MC through marine food webs (Kozlowsky-Suzuki et al, 2012). In 2007, waters in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary tested positive for MC after receiving inflow from three rivers draining freshwater lakes with HABs.…”