This book describes the present state of knowledge regarding the impact of cyanobacteria on health through the use of water. It considers aspects of risk management and details the information needed for protecting drinking water sources and recreational water bodies from the health hazards caused by cyanobacteria and their toxins. It also outlines the state of knowledge regarding the principal considerations in the design of programmes and studies for monitoring water resources and supplies and describes the approaches and procedures used.
The development of this publication was guided by the recommendations of several expert meetings concerning drinking water (Geneva, December 1995; Bad Elster, June
1996) and recreational water (Bad Elster, June 1996; St Helier, May 1997). An expert meeting in Bad Elster, April 1997, critically reviewed the literature concerning the toxicity of cyanotoxins and developed the scope and content of this book. A draft manuscript was reviewed at an editorial meeting in November 1997, and a further draft was
reviewed by the working group responsible for updating the Guidelines for Drinkingwater Quality in March 1998.

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Toxic cyanobacteria in water: a guide to their public health consequences, monitoring and management.

The rise of harmful cyanobacteria blooms: The potential roles of eutrophication and climate change

(2002). The Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms on Aquatic Organisms. Reviews in Fisheries Science: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 113-390.

The Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms on Aquatic Organisms

Increasingly, harmful algal blooms (HABs) are being reported worldwide due to several factors, primarily eutrophication, climate change and more scientific monitoring. All but cyanobacteria toxin poisonings (CTPs) are mainly a marine occurrence. CTPs occur in fresh (lakes, ponds, rivers and reservoirs) and brackish (seas, estuaries, and lakes) waters throughout the world. Organisms responsible include an estimated 40 genera but the main ones are Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Cylindrospermopsis, Lyngbya, Microcystis, Nostoc, and Oscillatoria (Planktothrix). Cyanobacteria toxins (cyanotoxins) include cytotoxins and biotoxins with biotoxins being responsible for acute lethal, acute, chronic and sub-chronic poisonings of wild/domestic animals and humans. The biotoxins include the neurotoxins; ana-toxin-a, anatoxin-a(s) and saxitoxins plus the hepatotoxins; microcystins, nodularins and cylindrospermopsins. Confirmations of human deaths from cyanotoxins are limited to exposure through renal dialysis at a haemodialys...

Health Effects of Toxin-Producing Cyanobacteria: “The CyanoHABs”

Ecotoxicological effects of selected cyanobacterial secondary metabolites: a short review.

Electron microscopic studies on experimental poisoning in mice induced by cylindrospermopsin isolated from blue-green alga Umezakia natans.

Isolation of cylindrospermopsin from a cyanobacterium Umezakia natans and its screening method

An assay system was described for studying the mechanism for the lysis of cyanobacteria, which consists of (1) the improved soft-agar overlayer (SAO) method, and (2) the chlorophyll absorbance (CA) method. In the SAO, the activity was observed on a following double-layer agar plate; the agar was covered with a soft agar containing precultured Microcystis aeruginosa in a schale. Lytic plaques on the agar plate were observed using the disk method and/or cup method. In the CA, the cultured cyanobacterium was centrifuged and an aliquot of the concentrated suspension was poured into each well of a 96-well microplate. Subsequently, sample solution was added to the well and the plate was settled. The plates were daily measured for observing any increase or decrease in the OD665. CA has the number of advantages over SAO when considering practical use, however, SAO is indispensable for qualitative analysis, the elucidation of the mode of action and relationship between structure and activity. This method was applied to screen lytic compounds in a lake and two amino acids were found to have lytic activity.

Ikuko I. Ohtani

Papers

Electron microscopic studies on experimental poisoning in mice induced by cylindrospermopsin isolated from blue-green alga Umezakia natans.

Isolation of cylindrospermopsin from a cyanobacterium Umezakia natans and its screening method

A Coupled Assay System for the Lysis of Cyanobacteria.