Global scanning of anatoxins in aquatic systems: environment and health hazards, and research needs

Abstract

Surface water contamination from the neurotoxic cyanotoxin anatoxin-a and its analogues present risks to global public health and the environment. Understanding aquatic hazards is critical for cyanobacterial blooms increasing in magnitude, frequency and duration. We examined published data to identify exceedances of guideline values (GVs) globally in various aquatic systems to understand hazards when exposure occurs. Environmental exposure distributions of surface water data (intra- and extracellular toxins) from recreational and potable source waters exceeded common GVs of 0.1, 1 and 300µgL–1 when blooms occur 79.62, 48.37 and 1.42% of the time respectively. In total, 66% of occurrences were from lacustrine ecosystems compared with reservoir, river, coastal and other systems, with almost all data from Asia–Pacific, Europe and North America, highlighting the need for more monitoring efforts in diverse systems and in developing regions. Reservoirs had greatest exceedances of the highest GV compared with other systems, especially in Europe, where an exceedance of 19.92% was observed. Aquatic toxicity and bioaccumulation data were examined and compared to these environmentally relevant concentrations, though a lack of high-quality data highlights major research needs. This study further identifies the utility of probabilistic cyanotoxins assessments to support identification of where environmental monitoring and research may be more effectively focused.

Nutrient limitation dynamics of western lake erie cyanoHAB biomass and toxin production

“…As observed in this experiment, higher overall N concentrations lead to higher anatoxin concentrations, with NO 3 enrichment leading to the largest increase in anatoxin production, which parallels results from other limnetic anatoxin-producing CyanoHABs [77][78][79][80][81]. Anatoxin production in Sandusky Bay and other Planktothrix-dominated bodies of water needs further examination, given the neurotoxicity and potential developmental toxicity of anatoxin [82,83] as well as its multiple deleterious environmental effects [84,85].…”

Roles of Nutrient Limitation on Western Lake Erie CyanoHAB Toxin Production

“…As observed in this experiment, higher overall N concentrations lead to higher anatoxin concentrations, with NO 3 enrichment leading to the largest increase in anatoxin production, which parallels results from other limnetic anatoxin-producing CyanoHABs [ 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 ]. Anatoxin production in Sandusky Bay and other Planktothrix -dominated bodies of water needs further examination, given the neurotoxicity and potential developmental toxicity of anatoxin [ 82 , 83 ] as well as its multiple deleterious environmental effects [ 84 , 85 ].…”

Cyanobacteria in inland waters: new monitoring, reporting, modelling and ecological research

“…These authors found that when blooms occurred, recreational and potable source waters exceeded guidelines of 0.1, 1 and 300 mg L À1 for 79.62, 48.37 and 1.42% of the time respectively. Of the occurrences, 66% were from lacustrine ecosystems compared with reservoir, river, coastal and other systems, with almost all data from Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America (Lovin and Brooks 2020). This latter point underscores the need for more monitoring efforts in diverse systems and in developing regions.…”