Dangerous toxic algae discovered in two US states: the threat will increase every year

The toxic algae that has killed dogs in North Carolina is the same type of bacteria that was found in several New Jersey lakes this summer. Writes about this New York Post.

Фото: Depositphotos

It is unclear whether the flowering of cyanobacteria in New Jersey is the same strain as the deadly algae in North Carolina, but environmentalists are warning that state residents must take extra safety measures.

“There are different types of bacteria, so we don't know if we have the same species,” said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, America's largest and most influential environmental organization. “But that’s why we have to take precautions.”

“When we hear of three dogs dying in a very short period of time, this should serve as a wake-up call to pet owners everywhere to make sure their animals are protected and not swimming in contaminated water,” he said.

On the subject: 30 million Americans consume water with heavy metals and toxins.

In addition, water contamination threatens not only animals, but also people. Algae can infect drinking water, which enters the water supply from contaminated water bodies, writes EWG.

Microcystin is a toxic toxin that can form in blue-green algae. In recent years, algal blooms (actually microscopic bacteria called cyanobacteria) have broken out in hundreds of lakes across the country, putting Americans whose drinking water comes from these lakes or who swim or fish in them at risk.

When ingested, microcystin can have an adverse effect on the health of people and animals, ranging from skin rashes to serious diseases and even death.

In 2014, Toledo (Ohio) became the first major US city where tap water became dangerous due to microcystine when Lake Erie, the source of water in Toledo, was full of blooming algae caused by runoff from industrial plants. For three days, half a million people were warned not to drink tap water and not to bathe in it.

In 2018, the threat went further along the coast. In Salem (Oregon), Greenfield (Iowa), and Rushville (New York), authorities warned residents not to use tap water after microcystins were found in it.

On the subject: Toxic lake in Russia attracts hundreds of tourists. A PHOTO

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 68% of Americans get drinking water from community water systems that depend on lakes, rivers, or other surface waters. Protecting these sources from external pollutants is an ongoing job for many public water systems.

Climate change is exacerbating the situation, as scientists predict that warming water, combined with fertilizers and manure, which are washed away from farm fields during more intense and frequent rains, can accelerate the frequency and intensity of harmful algae blooms in fresh water.

Microcystin and other cyanotoxins that are produced from blue-green algae are not currently regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, but are included in the EPA list of contaminants, which is an early step towards potential regulation in the future.

In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency created guidelines for drinking water levels that may contain microcystin—0,3 micrograms per liter, or μg/L, for preschool-age children and young children and 1,6 μg/L for high school-aged children and adults. . The World Health Organization considers 1 µg/l of microcystin in drinking water to be normal.

On the subject: Dozens of lakes in New York are contaminated with toxic algae

In 2016, the EPA prepared the study, “Environmental Quality Criteria for Human Health, Leisure, or Swimming Guidelines for Microcystine-Contained Water,” to develop recommendations on the use of water containing microcystine.

The study notes that some state health authorities, including the states of Indiana, Ohio, Washington, Vermont and Virginia, are considered 6 mcg / L.

In the draft EPA assessment for the 2016 year, swimming is recommended only in water where the microcystine content does not exceed 4 μg / L. But already in May 2019, these recommendations were increased to 8 mcg / L.

As previously wrote ForumDaily:

• Three dogs died after walking near a pond in North Carolina, where they poisoned by toxic algae.

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Dozens of lakes in New York are contaminated with toxic algae

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