Article
Environmental Sciences
Amalia M. Handler, Jana E. Compton, Ryan A. Hill, Scott G. Leibowitz, Blake A. Schaeffer
Summary: By combining satellite imagery and field surveys, this study successfully modeled the risk of toxic cyanobacterial blooms in lakes. This approach can aid in monitoring and managing water quality by identifying lakes at risk of developing harmful algal blooms.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Suzana Ivandic, Sergio I. P. Bakovic, Wen Zhang, Lauren F. Greenlee
Summary: The study investigated the use of dispersed and immobilized photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles for the removal of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) cyanotoxin in water. The results showed that TiO2 coated on nylon net supports effectively degraded MC-LR, while uncoated TiO2 did not show significant removal. Additionally, the TiO2 nets with a 5x coating exhibited high removal efficiency for MC-LR. Overall, the study found that TiO2 photocatalysts coated on nylon supports are comparable to dispersed TiO2 and provide a immobilization approach for in-situ MC-LR removal by TiO2 nanoparticles.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Wei Du, Gaoyang Li, Nicholas Ho, Landon Jenkins, Drew Hockaday, Jiankang Tan, Huansheng Cao
Summary: CyanoPATH is a database that curates and analyzes the common genomic functional repertoire for cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms in eutrophic waters, summarizing 19 pathways involved in the utilization of nutrients, stress resistance, and more. It provides valuable assistance in analyzing aquatic metagenomes and metatranscriptomes in CyanoHAB research. Most importantly, it bridges the gap between genome and ecology.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Da Huo, Nanqin Gan, Ruozhen Geng, Qi Cao, Lirong Song, Gongliang Yu, Renhui Li
Summary: The research on cyanobacterial blooms in China has seen significant advancements and focuses mainly on the diversity of bloom-forming cyanobacteria species and cyanotoxin studies. Emerging blooms dominated by non-Microcystis species are expanding in China, directing future studies towards understanding their features, occurrence, physiology, ecology, and harmful metabolites.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Nikola Stankovic, Boris Jovanovic, Ivana Kostic Kokic, Milica Stojkovic Piperac, Jelica Simeunovic, Dimitar Jakimov, Ivica Dimkic, Djuradj Milosevic
Summary: Cyanobacteria and their toxic metabolites, including microcystin-LR, have been found to have detrimental effects on aquatic organisms, especially in the presence of environmental stressors. This study investigated the effects of microcystin-LR and Trichormus variabilis on Chironomus riparius larvae in a multistress environment and found that microcystin-LR had an additive effect with environmental stressors, leading to increased larval mortality. Chronic exposure to microcystin-LR also resulted in reduced larval mass, hemoglobin concentration, and DNA damage in somatic cells. These findings highlight the importance of studying the interactions between stressors and cyanotoxins in aquatic ecosystems.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Zoran Marinovic, Nada Tokodi, Damjana Drobac Backovic, Ilija Scekic, Nevena Kitanovic, Snezana B. Simic, Nevena B. Dordevic, Arpad Ferincz, Adam Staszny, Tamara Dulic, Jussi Meriluoto, Bela Urbanyi, Jelena Lujic, Zorica Svircev
Summary: Lake Balaton, the largest shallow lake in Central Europe, is affected by the Zala River. The Kis-Balaton Water Protection System (KBWPS) was constructed to improve water quality, but toxic cyanobacterial blooms were still observed. The KBWPS acts as a significant buffering zone, protecting the water quality of Lake Balaton. Regular monitoring of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in this ecosystem is crucial.
Review
Microbiology
Faizan Saleem, Jennifer L. Jiang, Rachelle Atrache, Athanasios Paschos, Thomas A. Edge, Herb E. Schellhorn
Summary: Cyanobacteria can form harmful algal blooms in eutrophic freshwater ecosystems, posing a threat to wildlife, public health, and recreational waters. Molecular methods are increasingly recommended for the detection and quantification of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins. However, each molecular detection method has its own advantages and limitations for monitoring algal blooms. Integration of modern technologies such as satellite imaging, biosensors, and machine learning/artificial intelligence can help overcome these limitations.
Article
Microbiology
Jinnam Kim, GyuDae Lee, Soyeong Han, Min-Ji Kim, Jae-Ho Shin, Seungjun Lee
Summary: Toxic blooms of cyanobacteria in South Korea's freshwater can produce cyanotoxins, which pose risks to human health through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. This study aims to assess the potential health risk of aerosolization of toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins released from the water bodies.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cagri Akyol, E. Gozde Ozbayram, Stefano Accoroni, Serena Radini, Anna Laura Eusebi, Stefania Gorbi, Carla Vignaroli, Simone Bacchiocchi, Debora Campacci, Fabiola Gigli, Giuseppe Farina, Meric Albay, Francesco Fatone
Summary: Monitoring and experiments in a drinking water treatment plant in Central Italy showed that using polymer(chitosan)-enhanced microfiltration (PEMF) and ultrafiltration (PEUF) can effectively remove cyanobacterial cells and microcystin, achieving removal rates of over 90% to 99%. The results demonstrate the potential of chitosan-based methods for removing cyanobacteria and toxins in drinking water sources.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Victoria Zorbas, Myoseon Jang, Baharan Emam, Jiwon Choi
Summary: The study used the HAAR model to predict the degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in cyanobacterial aerosol by atmospheric oxidants. The results showed that MC-LR underwent ozonolysis at night and photooxidation during the daytime. The model simulated the impact of humidity and aerosol compositions on MC-LR decay.
ACS EARTH AND SPACE CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carla Kruk, Angel Segura, Gervasio Pineiro, Pablo Baldassini, Laura Perez-Becona, Felipe Garcia-Rodriguez, Gonzalo Perera, Claudia Piccini
Summary: Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are increasing globally due to eutrophication, dam construction, urban waste, cropland expansion, and climate change. This study examined the relationship between cyanobacterial abundance and various drivers in the Uruguay river basin. The results showed that the exponential increase in cyanobacterial abundance since the 2000s was mainly driven by agricultural practices and nutrient enrichment, with negligible effects from precipitation, temperature, and water flow.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Paul Villanueva, Jihoon Yang, Lorien Radmer, Xuewei Liang, Tania Leung, Kaoru Ikuma, Elizabeth D. Swanner, Adina Howe, Jaejin Lee
Summary: This study successfully identified factors associated with hazardous microcystin levels and developed predictive models using water quality data from Iowa lakes. The Neural Network and XGBoost models exhibited strong performance in predicting cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Malgorzata Godlewska, Helge Balk, Katarzyna Izydorczyk, Zbigniew Kaczkowski, Joanna Mankiewicz-Boczek, Shaowen Ye
Summary: Cyanobacterial blooms are increasing globally due to eutrophication and climate change. However, there is a lack of high-resolution data for the spatial structure and dynamics of these blooms in real time. In this study, a high-frequency fishery echosounder was used to detect and estimate the distribution and biomass of Microcystis blooms in a shallow lake. The acoustic estimates were compared with fluorometric measurements and chlorophyll a concentrations, showing significant positive correlations. Traditional point samples did not agree as well with the acoustic estimates, particularly in vertical measurements.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Wannes Hugo R. Van Hassel, Mirjana Andjelkovic, Benoit Durieu, Viviana Almanza Marroquin, Julien Masquelier, Bart Huybrechts, Annick Wilmotte
Summary: Belgium currently monitors toxic cyanobacterial blooms through regional environmental agencies, but protocols and locations are inconsistent. This study analyzed water samples from five lakes in Wallonia, as well as occasional blooms in Flanders and Brussels. Microcystin concentrations were detected using LC-MS/MS, while the presence of the mcyE gene and dominant cyanobacterial species were determined through PCR and DNA sequencing. The results showed that most samples exceeded the recommended guidelines for microcystin concentrations, and a diverse range of cyanobacterial species were identified. The mcyE gene was present in the majority of samples.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Saurabh Chatterjee, Madhura More
Summary: The effects of global warming are not limited to rising global temperatures and have set in motion a complex chain of events contributing to climate change. A consequence of global warming and climate change is the increase in cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyano-HABs), which pose a threat to public health and aquatic biodiversity. Microcystins (MCs) produced by cyanobacterial species can induce gut resistome changes and complicate various human disorders.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leslie J. Saunders, Jose L. Rodriguez-Gil, Sawyer S. Stoyanovich, Linda E. Kimpe, Mark L. Hanson, Bruce P. Hollebone, Diane M. Orihel, Jules M. Blais
Summary: Petroleum oil spills in water can impede the volatilization process and increase the persistence of chemicals in water. This study assesses the impact of diluted bitumen spills on the volatilization of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in a lake, and finds that the volatilization rate of SF6 significantly decreases with increasing spill cover.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Matthew P. Duda, Frederic Cyr, Gregory J. Robertson, Neal Michelutti, Carsten Meyer-Jacob, April Hedd, William A. Montevecchi, Linda E. Kimpe, Jules M. Blais, John P. Smol
Summary: This study reconstructed the evolutionary process of seabirds in the Northwest Atlantic over approximately 10,000 years using dated lake sediments. It found that climatic oscillations and the North Atlantic Oscillation influenced the colony size of seabirds during the Holocene and Little Ice Age. However, in recent years, the effects of ocean dynamics on seabird colonies have been modified by human interference.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Neal Michelutti, Kathryn E. Hargan, Linda E. Kimpe, John P. Smol, Jules M. Blais
Summary: Lakes in the Arctic and Andean regions are experiencing significant temperature increases, leading to limnological changes. This study used stable isotope composition data to analyze water balance parameters and found that evaporative losses are significant in small Arctic ponds.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
B. R. B. Gregory, J. A. Kissinger, C. Clarkson, L. E. Kimpe, D. C. Eickmeyer, J. Kurek, J. P. Smol, J. M. Blais
Summary: This study found that mink farming in Nova Scotia potentially contributes contaminants such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and organochlorine pesticides (OCP) to nearby lakes. Lakes in the catchment area of mink farms had significantly higher mercury and PCB levels compared to downstream lakes and reference lakes. The study also suggests that mink farming may be a source of PCBs in the sediment, along with local agriculture and atmospheric deposition. Additionally, the presence of DDT in lakes near mink farms indicates a possible connection between mink farming and elevated DDT levels, although the source attribution is complicated by mixed land use and historical DDT usage related to forestry. Overall, the study implies a possible association between marine fish meal, fur farms, and aquatic ecosystems in Nova Scotia.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Branaavan Sivarajah, Jennifer B. Korosi, Joshua R. Thienpont, Linda E. Kimpe, Jules M. Blais, John P. Smol
Summary: This study investigates the impact of past gold mining activities, urbanization, and climate warming on the lakes in the Yellowknife area, Canada. The diatom assemblage data from lake sediment cores suggest that the lakes closer to the city and mines experienced the highest diatom species turnover, indicating severe impacts from land-use changes and emissions from gold mines. Climate-induced changes to lake thermal properties also affected the diatom assemblages across the gradient of human activities. The study highlights the marked changes in diatom assemblages in the lakes over the past 80 years and the lack of biological recovery since the cessation of mining activities.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jonathan Y. Seguin, Johanna Mason, Mark L. Hanson, Bruce P. Hollebone, Diane M. Orihel, Vince P. Palace, Jose Luis Rodriguez-Gil, Jules M. Blais
Summary: Oil spills pose a major risk to the environment, and in this study, the bioaccumulation potential and toxicokinetic parameters of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and metals were investigated in giant floater mussels following experimental oil spills in a freshwater lake. It was found that exposure to diluted bitumen (dilbit)-contaminated water resulted in increased concentrations of PACs in the mussels, but there was no excess accumulation of metals. The study also showed that alkylated PACs had higher bioaccumulation potential compared to their parent PAC counterparts.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Cynthia Cheney, Martin Pothier, Philippe J. Thomas, Sailendra Nath Sarma, Alexandre J. Poulain, Jules M. Blais
Summary: This study investigates the contamination of lakes by industrial emissions using sediment analysis and toxicity tests. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using lake sediment archives to infer missing biomonitoring data in areas affected by human activities.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lauren Timlick, Jamie Dearnley, Jules M. Blais, Jose L. Rodriguez-Gil, Mark Hanson, Bruce P. Hollebone, Diane M. Orihel, Lisa E. Peters, Sawyer S. Stoyanovich, Vince P. Palace
Summary: The study investigates the chronic exposure of fish to diluted bitumen spills in controlled environments. The results show that fish retrieval significantly decreased at exposures above a certain concentration. At lower concentrations, fish exhibited physiological responses to dilbit-derived polycyclic aromatic compounds. However, there were no significant differences in condition factor or the development of reproductive organs.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesse Anderson, Andrew Paterson, Catherine Eimers, Reza Valipour, Arthur Zastepa, Caren Binding, Adam Heathcote, Mark Edlund
Summary: This introductory paper outlines eleven research articles included in this special section, focusing on phosphorus sources, lake and watershed modeling, and insights into cyanobacterial and harmful algal blooms (cHABs) in Lake of the Woods (LoW). The paper concludes with a roadmap for future transboundary water quality management, addressing remaining research gaps and future monitoring needs.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Hiba Ben Othman, Frances R. Pick, Asma Sakka Hlaili, Christophe Leboulanger
Summary: This article provides the first synthetic review of the effects of PAHs on microalgae in experimental studies and aquatic ecosystems. Microalgae show different sensitivities to PAHs and photosynthesis, the key process carried out by microalgae, is the most impacted by PAH exposure. The effects of PAHs depend on dose, species, and environmental factors. Natural microalgal communities appear to be more sensitive to PAH contamination than microalgae in culture. The precise and accurate assessment of PAHs toxicity to microalgae will benefit from more rigorously designed experimental studies.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Adam J. Heathcote, Zofia E. Taranu, Nicolas Tromas, Meaghan MacIntyre-Newell, Peter R. Leavitt, Frances R. Pick
Summary: This study used sedimentary DNA analysis to investigate the changes in cyanobacterial communities and toxin genes in nine lakes in Minnesota, USA over the past century. The results showed a significant increase in the abundance of cyanobacteria and potential toxin genes since the 20th century, and land use and lake depth had a major impact on the cyanobacterial communities.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Hebah S. Mejbel, Courtney L. Irwin, William Dodsworth, Scott N. Higgins, Michael J. Paterson, Frances R. Pick
Summary: Cyanobacterial blooms in aquatic environments have significant impacts on ecosystem, food webs, and economy. The relative importance of climate change, eutrophication, and other stressors on cyanobacterial bloom formation is still unclear due to the lack of long-term data. This study utilizes lake sediment archives to analyze the long-term trends and reveals additional changes not recorded in surface-water records.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Robbie M. Martin, Maddie K. Denney, Helena L. Pound, Justin D. Chaffin, George S. Bullerjahn, R. Michael L. McKay, Arthur Zastepa, Katarina A. Jones, Hector F. Castro, Shawn R. Campagna, Steven W. Wilhelm
Summary: Phosphorus availability plays a crucial role in primary production and cyanobacterial blooms in lakes. Phospholipid substitution by sulfolipids has been established as an indicator of phosphorus stress in marine phytoplankton. This study shows that sulfatequinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) to phosphatidylglycerol (PG) ratio can serve as a biomarker for phosphorus stress in freshwater phytoplankton communities, providing valuable insights into nutrient history and phosphorus scarcity.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Environmental Sciences
Jennifer Keir, Paul A. White, Jules M. Blais, Rocio Aranda-Rodriguez, Tracy L. Kirkham
ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Azdajic Mija, Blais M. Jules, Poulain J. Alexandre
Summary: This study investigated the impact of As(v) and sulfate on Hg methylation. It was found that Hg methylation was mainly limited by carbon substrate availability, rather than sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor. Under conditions where carbon was not limited, the addition of sulfate significantly increased the rate of Hg methylation. Furthermore, increasing concentrations of As(v) in sediments significantly decreased the production rate of MeHg, regardless of the sulfate concentration.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2022)
