Cyanobacterial toxins, exposure routes and human health

Abstract

The production of potent toxins by bloom-, scum-and mat-forming cyanobacteria, in fresh-, brackish and marine waters, appears to be a global phenomenon. Cyanobacterial toxins can also be produced by cyanobacteria from terrestrial sources. The range and number of known cyanobacterial toxins are increasing apace as associated poisoning incidents are investigated, and increasingly powerful analytical methods are applied to complement toxicity-based studies on both natural samples and laboratory isolates of cyanobacteria. Water quality management to reduce toxic cyanobacterial mass developments, and schemes to mitigate the potential effects of cyanobacterial toxins, require an understanding of the occurrence and properties of the toxins and of the exposure routes via which the toxins present risks to health. Here, we review advances in the recognition of cyanobacterial toxins and their toxicity, and of the exposure routes with reference to human health, namely via skin contact, inhalation, haemodialysis and ingestion (the oral route).

Phylogenetic evaluation of cyanobacteria preserved as historic herbarium exsiccata

“…These finds call for renewed attention to the examination of the diversity of natural populations. There is today ample evidence that cyanobacteria respond to environmental stress by producing water blooms (Codd et al, 1999) in freshwater and marine settings and threaten coral reefs (Paul et al, 2005). Apart from being by themselves a potential environmental hazard, changes in cyanobacterial populations have an important value as indicators of environmental and climatic change.…”

Massive multiplication of genome and ribosomes in dormant cells (akinetes) of Aphanizomenon ovalisporum (Cyanobacteria)

“…They are found in diverse aquatic environments such as fresh water lakes and reservoirs, estuaries, coastal lagoons and the open ocean. Major blooms have been reported in Australia, Northern Europe, India, New Zealand, South Africa, USA and the Baltic Sea (Carmichael et al, 1990;Codd et al, 1999;Hudnell et al, 2008), indicating a phenomenon of global dimensions. Many Nostocales species produce potent toxins that have been associated with livestock deaths, water quality deterioration and seafood contamination (Codd et al, 2005;Dittmann and Wiegand, 2006;van Apeldoorn et al, 2007).…”

Effects of nonylphenol on the growth and microcystin production of Microcystis strains

“…In recent years, Microcystis bloom occurs frequently in bodies of freshwater all over the world (Codd et al, 1999). This phenomenon is necessarily related with the increasing living and industrial pollution, which contains a vast amount of organic pollutants.…”