Algal Toxins in Iowa’s Water - Iowa State University · Algal Toxins in Iowa’s Water Mary P....
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Algal Toxins in Iowa’s Water Mary P. Skopec, Ph.D. Executive Director Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Regents Resource Center
Transcript of Algal Toxins in Iowa’s Water - Iowa State University · Algal Toxins in Iowa’s Water Mary P....
Algal Toxins in Iowa’s WaterMary P. Skopec, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Regents Resource Center
Cyanobacteria a.k.a.
“Blue-Green” AlgaeA quick primer…
• 1 Billion years and going strong
• Photosynthetic bacteria
• Can produce green, blue, red,
or brown pigments
• Found in fresh and salt water
• Many can fix nitrogen (not all)
• Resting spores
• Mobile – regulate buoyancy
• Can harvest nutrients from
sediments
• Toxins with >100 variantsBlack Hawk Lake, August 2014
How Toxic are Cyanotoxins?
Ricin
Soman
Sarin
Tabun
Rattlesnake Venom
After Chorus and Bartram, 1999; various references
Acute Toxicity
Cytotoxic
Dermatoxic
Hepatotoxic
Neurotoxic
Chronic Toxicity
Carcinogen
Tumor promotor
Mutagen
Teratogen
Embryolethality
Neurodegenerative disease
Slide Courtesy of Keith Loftin, USGS
• Human and Animal Health Risks
• Hypoxia and Fish Kills
• Water Treatment Costs
• Lake Aesthetics –Clarity & Smell
• Quality of Life
– Recreational Opportunities
– Property Values
– Tax Revenues
– Employment
Impacts of Cyanotoxins and
Harmful Algal Blooms
Graham and others, 2016, USGS OFR 2016-1174
http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161174
Harmful Algal Blooms are a Nationwide Issue
Cyanotoxins Are Detected in All Types of
Waterbodies Throughout the Nation
Graham and others, 2016, USGS OFR 2016-1174
http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161174
In 1944, an Anabaena bloom in a lake
in the Okoboji chain of lakes in Iowa
was blown onshore and caused fatal
poisoning of pigs and at least one dog
that drank from the lake1
Backer et al, Toxins 2013, 5, 1597-1628; doi:10.3390/toxins5091597
1. “Pigs Die after Drinking Water from OKOBOJI”. Vindicator and Republican. Oct 19, 1944.
History of Toxic Algae in Iowa
“Storm Lake in Iowa experienced dramatic
bloom events in 1952: associated with
Anabaena flos–aquae blooms were estimated
deaths of 5–7,000 gulls, 560 ducks, 400 coots,
200 pheasants, 50 squirrels, 18 muskrats, 15
dogs, 4 cats, 2 hogs, 2 hawks, 1 skunk, 1
mink, plus “numerous” songbirds.”
Rose E.T. Toxic algae in Iowa lakes. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. 1953;60:738–
745.
2. Lake Water not Only Made Dog Sick—It Killed
Animal! LeMars Globe Post. Dec 11, 1952.
3. Firkins, G.S. Toxic algae poisoning. Iowa
State Coll. Vet. 1953, 15, 151–153.
Source: Iowa Cattleman
Carter Lake, IA – June 2004
History of Bloom MonitoringBig Creek State Park, June 2005
Sampling ProtocolSampling Design
o Focus on beacheso Weekly samples
o Total microcystin
o Composite and Discrete (scum) samples
o Designed as survey with rapid
turnaroundo Allows for public health decisions to be
made
o 20 g/L total microcystin threshold level
established
o Samples collected Monday/Tuesdayo Results usually available Thursday afternoon
Stage 1 – No algal
toxin-related
advisories
Sample result
>2000 ug/L total
microcystins?
Sample result
>20 ug/L total
microcystins?
Stage 2 – Post
Warning sign; IDPH
notified
Sample result
>20 ug/L total
microcystins?
Stage 3 – Beach
closed; press release
issued.
Sample result
>2000 ug/L total
microcystins?
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes Sample collection and analysis
Sample collection and analysis Three-tiered advisory policy:
Based on results from both
composite and discrete
samples
• Stage 1 (no algal toxin-
related advisories)
• Stage 2 (advisory) -
sample result exceeds 20
µg/L total microcystins
• Stage 3 (closure) – toxin
result > 2000 µg/L;
reported health case(s).
Iowa Advisory Policy (2016)
o General information signs
o Park staff notified
o post advisory signs
o Iowa Department of Public Health HAN
o IDNR Beach Monitoring website
o Beach Monitoring Hotline
o Press releases
Public Notification
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
# o
f A
dvis
ori
es
Advisory Summary in Iowa
(2006-2016)
Number of Lakes with Advisories
(2006-2016)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18# o
f Lakes
oThe Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is
responsible for tracking illness in humans
attributed to microcystin poisoning
oReporting of suspected cases of microcystin
poisoning required of health care providers
oThe IDPH works cooperatively with local health
care partners in this tracking process
oLocal county environmental health
oLocal network of health care providers
Illness Surveillance
10
2 2
4
8
2
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Number of Suspected Cases of Microcystin Poisoning Reported to IDPH
Four of 2011 cases were at a triathlon
Complaint Type(2011-2016)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Solutions?
Slide: Hans Paerl; UNC;
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-05/documents/paerl_epa_webinar_presentation_5_2014.pdf
An increasing number of studies finding that BOTH
nitrogen and phosphorus reductions are needed
1. Xu, H., H. W. Paerl, B. Q. Qin, G. W. Zhu, and G. Gao. 2010. Nitrogen and phosphorus
inputs control phytoplankton growth in eutrophic Lake Taihu, China. Limnology and
Oceanography 55:420–432.
2. Xu, H., Paerl, H.W., Zhu, G. et al. Hydrobiologia (2017) 787: 229. doi:10.1007/s10750-
016-2967-4. Long-term nutrient trends and harmful cyanobacterial bloom potential in
hypertrophic Lake Taihu, China.
3. Conley, D. J., H. W. Paerl, R. W. Howarth, D. F. Boesch, S. P. Seitzinger, K. E. Havens, C.
Lancelot & G. E. Likens, 2009. Controlling eutrophication: nitrogen and phosphorus.
Science 323: 1014–1015.
4. Paerl, H. W., N. S. Hall, and E. S. Calandrino. 2011a. Controlling harmful cyanobacterial
blooms in a world experiencing anthropogenic and climaticinduced change. Science of
the Total Environment 409:1739–1745.
5. Paerl, H. W., H. Xu, M. J. McCarthy, G. W. Zhu, B. Q. Qin, Y. P. Li, and W. S. Gardner.
2011b. Controlling harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a hyper-eutrophic lake (Lake Taihu,
China): The need for a dual nutrient (N & P) management strategy. Water Research
45:1973–1983.
6. Beaulieu Marieke , Pick Frances , Gregory-Eaves Irene , (2013), Nutrients and water
temperature are significant predictors of cyanobacterial biomass in a 1147 lakes data
set, Limnology and Oceanography, 58, doi: 10.4319/lo.2013.58.5.1736.
“Bioavailability of both N and P during the summer plays a key
role in sustaining cyanobacterial blooms.”2
National Lake Assessment (1,2)
• Total Nitrogen 1100 ug/L
• Total Phosphorus 87 ug/L
Region 7 (3) Lake Benchmarks
• Total Nitrogen 700 ug/L
• Total Phosphorus 35 ug/L
1. Yuan, L. L. and Pollard, A. I. (2015), Deriving nutrient targets to prevent
excessive cyanobacterial densities in U.S. lakes and reservoirs. Freshw Biol, 60:
1901–1916.
2. Yuan, L. L., Pollard, A. I., Pather, S., Oliver, J. L. and D'Anglada, L. (2014),
Managing microcystin: identifying national-scale thresholds for total nitrogen and
chlorophyll a. Freshw Biol, 59: 1970–1981. doi:10.1111/fwb.12400
3. http://cpcb.ku.edu/media/cpcb/progwg/html/assets/nutrientwg/Lake_RTAG_20
11Jun.pdf
Nutrient Goals
Iowa DNR Lake Monitoring Program (138 lakes)
• Median Nitrate 1900 ug/L
• Median Total Phosphorus 78.3 ug/L
A long way to go…..
Nutrient Goals
0
25
50
75#
of
Imp
air
me
nts
Lakes
North Raccoon River near Sac City (Sac Co.)
Year
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Nitrate+
Nitrite-N
(mg/L)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Stuart Schmitz, M.S., P.E.
State Toxicologist
Iowa Department of Public Health
[email protected] (515) 281-8707
Health Information
Acknowledgements
Mary P. Skopec, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Iowa Lakeside Laboratory: Regents Resource Center
University of Iowa
712-337-3669
Questions?
Rock Creek Lake August 18, 2006
