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  • Potential cyanotoxin exposure while recreating during cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, and possible exposure mitigation.
  • Beale, Cole F; Squam Lakes Association
    Wei, Bofan; SUNY ESF
    Boyer, Greg L; SUNY ESF
    Wigdahl-Perry, Courtney R; SUNY Fredonia
    Yokota, Kiyoko; SUNY Oneonta
  • 2024-02-23
  • Beale, C.F., B. Wei, G.L. Boyer, C.R. Wigdahl-Perry, and K. Yokota. 2024. Potential cyanotoxin exposure while recreating during cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, and possible exposure mitigation. ver 1. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/DOI_PLACE_HOLDER (Accessed 2024-12-27).

  • Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) in lakes and reservoirs often contain cyanotoxins such as microcystins (MC), which can lead to various acute and long-term health complications in humans. During cHABs, MC concentrations can exceed local safety thresholds for recreation, forcing management groups to close public swimming areas. Private beaches and public boat launches may remain open, providing recreators a pathway to contact potentially cytotoxic water. We hypothesized that persons engaged in motorized recreational activities during cHABs could be exposed to measurable quantities of cyanotoxins through repetitive water splashing without full-body immersion, and that weather conditions, innertube pressure, and tow cleat height could affect the MC exposure potential at a eutrophic North American lake with recurring cHABs that is commonly used for motorized recreation. A sampling method simulating a person being towed behind a motorboat on an innertube collecting water splashing was developed. Splash collected contained MC ranging 0.02 to 4.10 µg/L by LC-MS/MS and was highly correlated to the lake surface MC concentration (R2 = 0.95, p < 0.05). Collected splash volumes correlated to wind speed, wave heights, towing cleat height, and degree of tube deflation. Five minutes of tubing from a low cleat with a deflated tube could expose a person to 7.22 µg MC, while using a higher tow cleat and a properly inflated tube decreased the potential MC exposure to 0.04 µg. Recreators on cHAB-prone waters must be informed on safer recreational practices to reduce potential cyanotoxin exposure.

  • edi.1589.1  (Uploaded 2024-02-23)  
  • This information is released under the Creative Commons license - Attribution - CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The consumer of these data ("Data User" herein) is required to cite it appropriately in any publication that results from its use. The Data User should realize that these data may be actively used by others for ongoing research and that coordination may be necessary to prevent duplicate publication. The Data User is urged to contact the authors of these data if any questions about methodology or results occur. Where appropriate, the Data User is encouraged to consider collaboration or co-authorship with the authors. The Data User should realize that misinterpretation of data may occur if used out of context of the original study. While substantial efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of data and associated documentation, complete accuracy of data sets cannot be guaranteed. All data are made available "as is." The Data User should be aware, however, that data are updated periodically and it is the responsibility of the Data User to check for new versions of the data. The data authors and the repository where these data were obtained shall not be liable for damages resulting from any use or misinterpretation of the data. Thank you.
  • DOI PLACE HOLDER
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