When It Comes To Toxic Algae, We're Pretty Much Surrounded. What's That Mean For Our Health?

Harmful algae are a reality in an area characterized by waterways. However, we still know very little about how they affect us, especially over time.

Scientists are working to change that.

In recent years, researchers at several Florida universities, nonprofit organizations and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have begun investigating their effects in a series of studies.

Earlier this week, Florida Atlantic University's Christine E. A team from the Lynn College of Nursing and the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution recruited and tested volunteers at Cape Coral to study the potential health effects of early exposure to certain blooms. . Florida Gulf Coast University researchers are contributing to a collaborative project that involves a multidisciplinary approach. And to sweeten the deal, volunteers can receive up to $25 in gift cards for their help.

Algae crisis: Airborne particles of toxic cyanobacteria can travel more than a mile across the country, new FGCU study finds

"This is a very active and involved interdisciplinary collaboration," lead researcher Rebecca S. Koszalinski said in an email

Principal investigator and FGCU marine science professor Mike Parsons is conducting groundbreaking research on how much toxins travel in the air (more than a mile) and how deep they can penetrate the human body (down to the smallest fraction of air in the lungs). . bag). Experts from FAU's Port Division Oceanographic Institute are also involved, including another principal investigator, Malcolm McFarland, he wrote.

Data are scarce, but so far some results are alarming.

Helping people stay healthy is the ultimate goal, says FAU associate professor Koszalinski.

Challenge: "Despite the prevalence and severity of cyanobacteria blooms in South Florida, we have little information on the health consequences of human exposure. »

To protect victims, "understanding the short- and long-term health effects and consequences is essential... By developing tools to measure concentrations of harmful algal bloom toxins in the environment and in many human tissues, we will better understand good health. "Health outcomes and needs," he said. said.

They're trying to expand their geographic network, drawing participants to the greater Fort Myers/Cape Coral area in the southwest, Clewiston near Lake Okeechobee, and Stewart to the east to "capture key areas of human influence and larger population profiles," Koszalinski said.

The research team set up camp at the Cape Coral Department of Public Works on Wednesday and Thursday, where they recruited volunteers, then collected blood and urine samples and swabbed their noses for a COVID test. Indeed, the researchers will examine the possible effects of exposure to Covid-19 and whether there is a link between a history of Covid-19 infection and susceptibility to the effects of algal blooms. This study is the first to test this potential link and determine whether infected individuals constitute what Koszalinski calls "a new vulnerable subset of the population."

Volunteers will also be asked about possible routes, durations and types of exposure to flowers during work and leisure. The researchers will also assess the potential effects by conducting blood tests, including liver enzymes and kidney markers, in people with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and chronic gastrointestinal disorders.

The urine and blood tests will be done in collaboration with the CDC, which is developing methods to detect algae toxins in human tissues. The study also includes water and air sampling.

The data will form part of a permanent knowledge bank, which researchers call a registry-based bio-repository to store data and samples to facilitate long-term studies and serve as a resource for researchers around the world.

Algae injuries: From itchy eyes to dead dogs and brain damage

Although they can cause big problems, the organisms in question are microscopic: single-celled organisms commonly known as blue-green algae or cyanobacteria, many species of which live in the fresh waters of southwest Florida. Although they are essential to natural systems, they can cause problems when they multiply. Another saltwater microorganism, Karenia brevis, causes red tide, which is considered a harmful alga, although distinct from cyanobacteria.

Both occur naturally in the environment; Both produce large "blooms" that can sometimes decimate wildlife populations, driving people from Sarasota north to Marco Island, more than 100 miles from the Caloosahatchee and Gulf beaches.

Like red tides, some types of blue-green algae produce toxins that cause health problems in humans and animals, from itchy eyes and sneezing to liver failure and even death if enough is consumed.

What could be causing the blooms? High temperatures, stagnant conditions and water contaminated with nitrogen and phosphorus. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these nutrients contribute to blooms: "Food contamination by human activities exacerbates the problem and leads to frequent blooms."

Thanks to 19th- and 20th-century engineering, the Caloosahatchee is connected to an important food source: Lake Okeechobee, which is chronically plagued by its own algal blooms. The US Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the lake, often releases its water into the river.

This acute exposure can sicken people and kill dogs. Long-term effects are less clear, but algal toxins have been linked to several serious illnesses, including liver cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Parkinson's disease.

Hence the proliferation of research, including this project funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Health, Koszalinski said. "This latest study expands on our previous studies conducted in 2016, 2018 and previous FDOH studies conducted in 2019-2020 and 2021-2022. We are in the fifth year of our study (of harmful algal blooms) and this year covers several previous years. "

Bridging information gaps and helping agencies formulate sound policies

Koszalinski said the study will provide agencies and policymakers with valuable information to better protect the people they serve. "A scientific understanding of the risks associated with exposure to harmful algal blooms can help regulators make health protection decisions and guide mitigation efforts to reduce potential risks, as well as to reduce the occurrence and spread of algal blooms. Most importantly, measuring HAB toxin concentrations in the environment and many human tissue exposures will fill an important data gap for understanding the impact.

The research made it possible to identify the health effects associated with large blooms of blue-green algae:

• In 2020, he showed the presence of liver-damaging algal toxins (called microcystins because they come from algae of the genus Microcystis) in human noses;

• In 2022, he developed a new approach to analysis;

• In 2023, the team looked at self-reported symptoms related to activity patterns, water exposure, residential, recreational and occupational exposures.

• Recently, exposure to cyanobacteria at concentrations observed during algal blooms has been shown to be associated with various symptoms, and inhalation of toxins may be an important route of exposure.

For Koszalinski, it's an opportunity to combine her interests in applied science and nursing with service. "I started as a scientist and studied genomics at the NIH Summer Genetics Institute as a nurse," she said in an email. “I do this work because important clinical research and gold-standard scientific methods illuminate the health needs of our unique population.

"Floridians are literally demanding research to better understand the threats and consequences of environmental change. We are committed to answering their questions."

Although the group currently has an active group of volunteers, FAU spokeswoman Giselle Galoustian said the goal is to attract 30 additional participants this year. Ultimately, the group is looking for 150 volunteers.

Learn more, Research Volunteers

For more information or to participate in the study, call or text 561-297-4631 or email Rebecca Koszalinski at NurHAB@health.fau.edu. Community participants will receive up to $25 in gift cards per year as an incentive to participate in data collection activities.

This article originally appeared in the Fort Myers News-Press: Harmful health effects of algae are being studied, and you can help.

Watch out for harmful algal blooms in your ocean