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First report of saxitoxin in Finnish lakes and possible associated effects on human health
Author(s) -
Rapala Jarkko,
Robertson Alison,
Negri Andrew P.,
Berg Katri A.,
Tuomi Pirjo,
Lyra Christina,
Erkomaa Kirsti,
Lahti Kirsti,
Hoppu Kalle,
Lepistö Liisa
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
environmental toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1522-7278
pISSN - 1520-4081
DOI - 10.1002/tox.20109
Subject(s) - saxitoxin , paralytic shellfish poisoning , ecotoxicology , shellfish poisoning , algal bloom , phytoplankton , biology , environmental chemistry , toxin , toxicology , chemistry , shellfish , ecology , microbiology and biotechnology , aquatic animal , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , nutrient
This study is the first report of saxitoxin in cyanobacterial blooms in Finland. Bloom samples ( n = 50) were collected from Finnish freshwater sites during summer months of 2002 and 2003. These samples were screened for the presence of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) using the Jellett rapid PSP screening test. Samples testing positive for PSTs ( n = 7) were further analyzed with saxiphilin‐ and voltage‐gated sodium channel [ 3 H]‐STX–binding radioreceptor assays and liquid chromatography using fluorescence and mass spectrometric analysis. The results indicated that saxitoxin (STX) was the only PST analogue in the samples and that it was present in high concentrations, as much as 1 mg L −1 . Microscopic analysis revealed that 95%–100% of the phytoplankton in the positive samples consisted of Anabaena lemmermannii. The trophic status of lakes in which STX‐containing blooms were found varied from oligotrophic to hypertrophic. All the lakes had high nitrogen‐to‐phosphorus ratios. In some instances, samples had been collected from sites where swimmers had reported adverse health effects, and in three such cases, reported adverse health effects were associated with sites from which samples testing positive for STX had been received. Symptoms of fever, eye irritation, abdominal pains, and skin rash were reported in children aged 2–10 years after exposure to the water. These were not the adverse human symptoms typical of STX poisoning; rather, they represented acute effects often reported following recreational exposure to cyanobacterial blooms. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 20: 331–340, 2005