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Ecological Toxicity of Cyanotoxins: Development of an Evidence Map using ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase Systematic Protocols
Citation:
Olker, J., A. Banerji, K. Benesh, B. Kinziger, T. Scott, T. Karschnik, J. Frisch, T. Feist, A. Pilli, AND D. Hoff. Ecological Toxicity of Cyanotoxins: Development of an Evidence Map using ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase Systematic Protocols. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America, Pittsburgh, PA, November 13 - 17, 2022. https://doi.org/10.23645/epacomptox.21424605
Impact/Purpose:
Poster presented to the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) annual meeting November 2022. Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a growing concern in many water bodies due to impacts on water quality, restrictions on recreation, and health risks. Cyanotoxins associated with HABs can be very toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. However, potential impacts of cyanotoxins on aquatic organisms, terrestrial plants, and wildlife are not well characterized. This presentation describes efforts to comprehensively and systematically assemble and describe available evidence for ecological effects of cyanotoxins using the well-established protocols of the ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase. Here we provide the status of available empirical toxicity data that can be used to assess risks and understand potential effects by biological species and cyanotoxin classes.
Description:
Cyanotoxins associated with Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) can be deadly to humans, pets, and livestock. Impacts of cyanotoxins on other organisms (e.g., microbes, plants, and wildlife) are not well characterized. Our goal was to comprehensively and systematically assemble available evidence for ecological effects of cyanotoxins using the well-established curation protocols of the ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase (ECOTOX, www.epa.gov/ecotox) and report the extent, distribution, and types of evidence. The initial literature search encompassed cyanotoxins produced by the most common HAB-forming cyanobacteria in the U.S.: microcystin-LR, microcystin-RR, anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxin, and lyngbyatoxin-a. This list was expanded to include several cyanotoxins known to be commonly detected or associated with coastal or marine systems and then further expanded to include over 100 cyanotoxins documented in publications and government reports. The 7,500 references retrieved were screened at the title and abstract level. Full-text review of the 1,100 that met inclusion criteria for ECOTOX (e.g., verifiable species and CASRN, control reported) yielded ~600 references with relevant ecological toxicity data. Data extraction is underway to capture all pertinent study details (species, chemicals, test methods, and toxicity results) and incorporate them into the ECOTOX public website. To date, toxicity results have been extracted for 28 cyanotoxins, with >60% of the results pertaining to microcystins. Studies include testing for effects in aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants, with almost 50% of the reported toxicity results in fish and notable under-representation for several species groups such as amphibians and birds. 58% of references (but only 20% of records) measured traditional growth/reproduction/mortality toxicity endpoints, with 70% of references (60% of records) also including measurements for biochemical or genetic effects. These results will be presented in an evidence map for ecological toxicity of cyanotoxins with the extent of empirical data for aquatic and terrestrial organisms by species, types of effects, and cyanotoxin class. This abstract does not necessarily reflect US EPA policy.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Ecological Toxicity of Cyanotoxins: Development of an Evidence Map using ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase Systematic Protocols
OLKER_SETAC 2022 ECOTOX CYANOTOXINS POSTER_REVISED.PDF (PDF, NA pp, 1086.786 KB, about PDF)