Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Science Team Active
The Team Studies the Factors that Contribute to Algal Toxin Production, Release, and Outbreaks
The Team Identifies Algal Toxins in Surface Waters
Cyanobacterial Bloom on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
The Team Identifies Cyanobacteria Associated with Toxin Production
Gleotrichia shown under a microscope
The Team Advances Method, Sensor, and Model Development
to provide decision support and advanced warning
The Team Improves the Understanding of Algal Toxin Uptake
and if uptake results in adverse effects on wildlife
The Team Develops Advanced Analytical Capabilities
The team develops advanced methods to study factors driving algal toxin production, how and where wildlife or humans are exposed to toxins, and ecotoxicology. That information is used to develop decision tools to understand if toxin exposure leads to adverse health effects in order to protect human and wildlife health.
Algal blooms frequently occur in our Nation's water resources and can cause economic, ecologic, and human health concerns. Algal blooms often contain cyanobacteria and other microorganisms, which can produce natural toxins. Yet, the actual health threats posed to the public, pets, livestock, and wildlife by these toxins in water resources used for recreation and drinking water remain poorly understood. Consequently, in order to be protective from potential health risks, rapid decisions are often made by land managers, public utilities and others to limit access to water resources for recreation or drinking water. These decisions are often based largely on a perception of potential risk.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Research Team works with multiple stakeholders to quantify toxin exposure and effects, identify hazards and vulnerabilities, develop tools to quantify and forecast toxin occurrence and exposure, and estimate socioeconomic impacts. Knowledge gained is used to identify actual versus perceived health risks posed by natural toxins. The team’s approach for understanding health impacts of algal toxins on humans and wildlife is a sequential process where each step informs the next in the laboratory and in the field. This approach involves teams of USGS scientists working at field sites across the United States, and in collaboration with other scientists to address human and wildlife health concerns.
Current Science Activities
- Toxin Exposure and Effects
- Determining the effects of cyanotoxins in fish and birds, including, cyanotoxin induced endocrine disruption, sublethal effects, and immunomodulation effects
- Determining bioaccessibility of cyanotoxins from ambient waters, finished drinking water, and raw and cooked fish in simulated mammalian digestive systems
- Evaluating the potential exposure risk of cyanotoxins in tap waters in the United States
- Dose-dependent animal toxicity studies for cyanotoxins and in relation to health advisory thresholds
- Biomarkers and cellular response to acute and chronic cyanotoxin exposure and potential proactive response measures
- Cyanotoxin and algal blooms related health impacts on reserved Federal lands and U.S. Trust species
- Potential for cyanotoxin aerosolization and human health effects (collaboration with CDC)
- Causes, Control, and Fate of Toxin Production
- Evaluation of commercial personal drinking water purifiers for toxin removal
- Understanding cyanotoxin production and control dynamics
- The response of harmful algae to atmospheric stimuli and implication for ecosystem and human health
- Advancing Methods and Sensors to Support Toxin Studies
- Validation of a method for simultaneously measuring multiple classes of cyanotoxins and algal toxins in surface waters across the freshwater to marine continuum
- Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN): Detection of cyanobacterial blooms and potential toxin production in lakes and reservoirs
- Polyphasic identification of toxin producing cyanobacteria
- Assessment of physical and chemical properties of cyanotoxins
- Decision Support
- Identification and quantitation of cyanotoxin socioeconomic effects
Below are other science teams and laboratories associated with this project.
The following are the data releases from this science team’s research activities.
Related publications below.
Cyanotoxins in inland lakes of the United States: Occurrence and potential recreational health risks in the EPA National Lakes Assessment 2007
Total cylindrospermopsins, microcystins/nodularins, and saxitoxins data for the 2007 United States Environmental Protection Agency National Lake Assessment
Challenges for mapping cyanotoxin patterns from remote sensing of cyanobacteria
Spatial and temporal variation in microcystins occurrence in wadeable streams in the southeastern USA
Standard operating procedures for collection of soil and sediment samples for the Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy pilot study
Agencies collaborate, develop a cyanobacteria assessment network
Water Quality, Cyanobacteria, and Environmental Factors and Their Relations to Microcystin Concentrations for Use in Predictive Models at Ohio Lake Erie and Inland Lake Recreational Sites, 2013-14
Harmful cyanobacterial “algal” blooms (cyanoHABs) and associated toxins, such as microcystin, are a major water-quality issue for Lake Erie and inland lakes in Ohio. Predicting when and where a bloom may occur is important to protect the public that uses and consumes a water resource; however, predictions are complicated and likely site specific because of the many factors affecting toxin producti
Strategy to evaluate persistent contaminant hazards resulting from sea-level rise and storm-derived disturbances—Study design and methodology for station prioritization
Colorimetric microtiter plate receptor-binding assay for the detection of freshwater and marine neurotoxins targeting the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
Land use patterns, ecoregion, and microcystin relationships in U.S. lakes and reservoirs: a preliminary evaluation
Experimental additions of aluminum sulfate and ammonium nitrate to in situ mesocosms to reduce cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystin concentration
Experimental manipulation of TN:TP ratiossuppress cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystinconcentration in large-scale in situ mesocosms
Below are news stories associated with this project.
- Overview
The team develops advanced methods to study factors driving algal toxin production, how and where wildlife or humans are exposed to toxins, and ecotoxicology. That information is used to develop decision tools to understand if toxin exposure leads to adverse health effects in order to protect human and wildlife health.
Algal blooms frequently occur in our Nation's water resources and can cause economic, ecologic, and human health concerns. Algal blooms often contain cyanobacteria and other microorganisms, which can produce natural toxins. Yet, the actual health threats posed to the public, pets, livestock, and wildlife by these toxins in water resources used for recreation and drinking water remain poorly understood. Consequently, in order to be protective from potential health risks, rapid decisions are often made by land managers, public utilities and others to limit access to water resources for recreation or drinking water. These decisions are often based largely on a perception of potential risk.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Research Team works with multiple stakeholders to quantify toxin exposure and effects, identify hazards and vulnerabilities, develop tools to quantify and forecast toxin occurrence and exposure, and estimate socioeconomic impacts. Knowledge gained is used to identify actual versus perceived health risks posed by natural toxins. The team’s approach for understanding health impacts of algal toxins on humans and wildlife is a sequential process where each step informs the next in the laboratory and in the field. This approach involves teams of USGS scientists working at field sites across the United States, and in collaboration with other scientists to address human and wildlife health concerns.
Current Science Activities
- Toxin Exposure and Effects
- Determining the effects of cyanotoxins in fish and birds, including, cyanotoxin induced endocrine disruption, sublethal effects, and immunomodulation effects
- Determining bioaccessibility of cyanotoxins from ambient waters, finished drinking water, and raw and cooked fish in simulated mammalian digestive systems
- Evaluating the potential exposure risk of cyanotoxins in tap waters in the United States
- Dose-dependent animal toxicity studies for cyanotoxins and in relation to health advisory thresholds
- Biomarkers and cellular response to acute and chronic cyanotoxin exposure and potential proactive response measures
- Cyanotoxin and algal blooms related health impacts on reserved Federal lands and U.S. Trust species
- Potential for cyanotoxin aerosolization and human health effects (collaboration with CDC)
- Causes, Control, and Fate of Toxin Production
- Evaluation of commercial personal drinking water purifiers for toxin removal
- Understanding cyanotoxin production and control dynamics
- The response of harmful algae to atmospheric stimuli and implication for ecosystem and human health
- Advancing Methods and Sensors to Support Toxin Studies
- Validation of a method for simultaneously measuring multiple classes of cyanotoxins and algal toxins in surface waters across the freshwater to marine continuum
- Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN): Detection of cyanobacterial blooms and potential toxin production in lakes and reservoirs
- Polyphasic identification of toxin producing cyanobacteria
- Assessment of physical and chemical properties of cyanotoxins
- Decision Support
- Identification and quantitation of cyanotoxin socioeconomic effects
- Toxin Exposure and Effects
- Science
Below are other science teams and laboratories associated with this project.
- Data
The following are the data releases from this science team’s research activities.
- Publications
Related publications below.
Filter Total Items: 69Cyanotoxins in inland lakes of the United States: Occurrence and potential recreational health risks in the EPA National Lakes Assessment 2007
A large nation-wide survey of cyanotoxins (1161 lakes) in the United States (U.S.) was conducted during the EPA National Lakes Assessment 2007. Cyanotoxin data were compared with cyanobacteria abundance- and chlorophyll-based World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds and mouse toxicity data to evaluate potential recreational risks. Cylindrospermopsins, microcystins, and saxitoxins were detected (AuthorsKeith A. Loftin, Jennifer L. Graham, Elizabeth Hilborn, Sarah Lehmann, Michael T. Meyer, Julie E. Dietze, Christopher GriffithTotal cylindrospermopsins, microcystins/nodularins, and saxitoxins data for the 2007 United States Environmental Protection Agency National Lake Assessment
Phytoplankton communities in freshwater lakes, ponds, and reservoirs may be dominated by cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae) under certain environmental conditions. Cyanobacteria may cause a range of water-quality impairments, including the potential for toxin production. Cyanobacteria toxins (cyanotoxins) may adversely impact human and ecological health. Microcystins are considered to beAuthorsKeith A. Loftin, Julie E. Dietze, Michael T. Meyer, Jennifer L. Graham, Megan M. Maksimowicz, Kathryn D. ToyneChallenges for mapping cyanotoxin patterns from remote sensing of cyanobacteria
Using satellite imagery to quantify the spatial patterns of cyanobacterial toxins has several challenges. These challenges include the need for surrogate pigments – since cyanotoxins cannot be directly detected by remote sensing, the variability in the relationship between the pigments and cyanotoxins – especially microcystins (MC), and the lack of standardization of the various measurement methodAuthorsRick P Stumpf, Timothy W. Davis, Timothy T. Wynne, Jennifer L. Graham, Keith A. Loftin, T.H. Johengen, D. Gossiaux, D. Palladino, A. BurtnerSpatial and temporal variation in microcystins occurrence in wadeable streams in the southeastern USA
Despite historical observations of potential microcystin-producing cyanobacteria (including Leptolyngbya,Phormidium, Pseudoanabaena, and Anabaena species) in 74% of headwater streams in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina (USA) from 1993 to 2011, fluvial cyanotoxin occurrence has not been systematically assessed in the southeastern United States. To begin to address this data gap,AuthorsKeith A. Loftin, Jimmy M. Clark, Celeste A. Journey, Dana W. Kolpin, Peter C. Van Metre, Paul M. BradleyStandard operating procedures for collection of soil and sediment samples for the Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy pilot study
An understanding of the effects on human and ecological health brought by major coastal storms or flooding events is typically limited because of a lack of regionally consistent baseline and trends data in locations proximal to potential contaminant sources and mitigation activities, sensitive ecosystems, and recreational facilities where exposures are probable. In an attempt to close this gap, thAuthorsShawn C. Fisher, Timothy J. Reilly, Daniel Jones, William Benzel, Dale W. Griffin, Keith A. Loftin, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Jonathan A. CohlAgencies collaborate, develop a cyanobacteria assessment network
Cyanobacteria are a genetically diverse group of photosynthetic microorganisms that occupy a broad range of habitats on land and water all over the world. They release toxins that can cause lung and skin irritation, alter the taste and odor of potable water, and cause human and animal illness. Cyanobacteria blooms occur worldwide, and climate change may increase the frequency, duration, and extentAuthorsBlake A. Schaeffer, Keith A. Loftin, Richard P. Stumpf, P. Jeremy WerdellWater Quality, Cyanobacteria, and Environmental Factors and Their Relations to Microcystin Concentrations for Use in Predictive Models at Ohio Lake Erie and Inland Lake Recreational Sites, 2013-14
Harmful cyanobacterial “algal” blooms (cyanoHABs) and associated toxins, such as microcystin, are a major water-quality issue for Lake Erie and inland lakes in Ohio. Predicting when and where a bloom may occur is important to protect the public that uses and consumes a water resource; however, predictions are complicated and likely site specific because of the many factors affecting toxin producti
AuthorsDonna S. Francy, Jennifer L. Graham, Erin A. Stelzer, Christopher D. Ecker, Amie M.G. Brady, Pam Struffolino, Keith A. LoftinStrategy to evaluate persistent contaminant hazards resulting from sea-level rise and storm-derived disturbances—Study design and methodology for station prioritization
Coastal communities are uniquely vulnerable to sea-level rise (SLR) and severe storms such as hurricanes. These events enhance the dispersion and concentration of natural and anthropogenic chemicals and pathogenic microorganisms that could adversely affect the health and resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems in coming years. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed a strategy to defineAuthorsTimothy J. Reilly, Daniel Jones, Michael J. Focazio, Kimberly C. Aquino, Chelsea L. Carbo, Erika E. Kaufhold, Elizabeth K. Zinecker, William Benzel, Shawn C. Fisher, Dale W. Griffin, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Keith A. Loftin, William B. SchillColorimetric microtiter plate receptor-binding assay for the detection of freshwater and marine neurotoxins targeting the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
Anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin-a, produced by cyanobacteria, are agonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Pinnatoxins, spirolides, and gymnodimines, produced by dinoflagellates, are antagonists of nAChRs. In this study we describe the development and validation of a competitive colorimetric, high throughput functional assay based on the mechanism of action of freshwater and marine toxiAuthorsFernando Rubio, Lisa Kamp, Justin Carpino, Erin Faltin, Keith A. Loftin, Jordi Molgó, Romulo AraozLand use patterns, ecoregion, and microcystin relationships in U.S. lakes and reservoirs: a preliminary evaluation
A statistically significant association was found between the concentration of total microcystin, a common class of cyanotoxins, in surface waters of lakes and reservoirs in the continental U.S. with watershed land use using data from 1156 water bodies sampled between May and October 2007 as part of the USEPA National Lakes Assessment. Nearly two thirds (65.8%) of the samples with microcystin concAuthorsJohn R. Beaver, Erin E. Manis, Keith A. Loftin, Jennifer L. Graham, Amina I. Pollard, Richard M. MitchellExperimental additions of aluminum sulfate and ammonium nitrate to in situ mesocosms to reduce cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystin concentration
Recent studies suggest that nitrogen additions to increase the total nitrogen:total phosphorus (TN:TP) ratio may reduce cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystin concentration in reservoirs. In systems where TP is >100 μg/L, however, nitrogen additions to increase the TN:TP ratio could cause ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite toxicity to terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Reducing phosphorus via aluminumAuthorsTed D. Harris, Frank M. Wilhelm, Jennifer L. Graham, Keith A. LoftinExperimental manipulation of TN:TP ratiossuppress cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystinconcentration in large-scale in situ mesocosms
A global dataset was compiled to examine relations between the total nitrogen to total phosphorus ratio (TN:TP) and microcystin concentration in lakes and reservoirs. Microcystin concentration decreased as TN:TP ratios increased, suggesting that manipulation of the TN:TP ratio may reduce microcystin concentrations. This relationship was experimentally tested by adding ammonium nitrate to increaseAuthorsTheodore D. Harris, Frank M. Wilhelm, Jennifer L. Graham, Keith A. Loftin - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.