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Evidence Map for Ecological Toxicity of Cyanotoxins 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. Evidence Map for Ecological Toxicity of Cyanotoxins using ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase Systematic Protocols. SOT, Nashville, TN, March 19 - 23, 2023. https://doi.org/10.23645/epacomptox.24294973
Impact/Purpose:
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:
Cyanobacteria associated with Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) can release highly potent toxins, known as cyanotoxins, which can be deadly to humans, pets, and livestock. Acute and chronic effects are not well characterized across the diversity of cyanotoxins or the potentially exposed organisms (e.g., amphibians, microbes, aquatic plants, and wildlife). The objective was to create a literature inventory of the extent, distribution, and types of toxic effects of cyanotoxins reported for aquatic and terrestrial organisms. The well-established protocols of the ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase (ECOTOX, www.epa.gov/ecotox) were leveraged to comprehensively and systematically identify and review relevant cyanotoxin studies and then provide extracted toxicity data for priority cyanotoxins. The priority cyanotoxins were identified based on association with the most common HAB-forming cyanobacteria in freshwaters of the U.S. and include microcystin-LR, microcystin-RR, anatoxin-a, beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxin, lyngbyatoxin-a, prymnesin 1, and prymnesin 2. The literature was queried using multiple search engines for these priority cyanotoxins as well as ~100 additional cyanotoxins identified from HABs publications and government reports. Over 7,500 references were screened at the title and abstract level, followed by full-text review of over 1,500 publications. Of these, 1,109 publications met the ECOTOX inclusion criteria (e.g., verifiable CASRN, ecological receptor that is a verifiable species, control reported). Each included publication was annotated with test compound(s), test species, exposure type(s), and effect type(s) for creating the literature inventory. This effort identified ecological toxicity studies on 78 cyanotoxins, with >70% of the publications testing microcystins. Studies include effects in aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants, with 40% of the studies in fish and a notable under-representation for several groups such as amphibians and birds. 42% of publications measured traditional growth, reproduction, and mortality toxicity endpoints, and 67% include measurements for biochemical, cellular, or genetic effects. Full data extraction was completed from 374 publications, with all pertinent study details on species (life stage, age, sex), chemicals (purity, analytical verification, test concentration), test methods and conditions (exposure type and media, study duration, control type, experimental design, soil or water parameters), and toxicity results (specific effect and endpoint, statistical significance). The literature inventory will inform future cyanotoxin research through identification of data availability and gaps (species, toxins, and endpoints). The detailed extracted toxicity data supports evaluation of ecological risk from HABs and the most commonly occuring cyanotoxins in the environment through characterizing toxicity across cyanotoxin classes and identification of most potent cyanotoxins and sensitive species. This abstract does not necessarily reflect US EPA policy.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Evidence Map for Ecological Toxicity of Cyanotoxins using ECOTOXicology Knowledgebase Systematic Protocols
PRESENTATION.PDF (PDF, NA pp, 1363.956 KB, about PDF)