Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health Protection

The more frequent occurrence of both marine and freshwater toxic algal blooms and recent problems with new toxic events have increased the risk for illness and negatively impacted sustainable public access to safe shellfish and recreational waters in Washington State. Marine toxins that affect safe...

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Main Authors: Vera L. Trainer, F. Joan Hardy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2015-04-01
Series:Toxins
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/7/4/1206
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author Vera L. Trainer
F. Joan Hardy
author_facet Vera L. Trainer
F. Joan Hardy
author_sort Vera L. Trainer
collection DOAJ
description The more frequent occurrence of both marine and freshwater toxic algal blooms and recent problems with new toxic events have increased the risk for illness and negatively impacted sustainable public access to safe shellfish and recreational waters in Washington State. Marine toxins that affect safe shellfish harvest in the state are the saxitoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), domoic acid that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) and the first ever US closure in 2011 due to diarrhetic shellfish toxins that cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). Likewise, the freshwater toxins microcystins, anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsins, and saxitoxins have been measured in state lakes, although cylindrospermopsins have not yet been measured above state regulatory guidance levels. This increased incidence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) has necessitated the partnering of state regulatory programs with citizen and user-fee sponsored monitoring efforts such as SoundToxins, the Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) partnership and the state’s freshwater harmful algal bloom passive (opportunistic) surveillance program that allow citizens to share their observations with scientists. Through such integrated programs that provide an effective interface between formalized state and federal programs and observations by the general public, county staff and trained citizen volunteers, the best possible early warning systems can be instituted for surveillance of known HABs, as well as for the reporting and diagnosis of unusual events that may impact the future health of oceans, lakes, wildlife, and humans.
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spelling doaj.art-9a7914e25a704434a7806103c959e8922022-12-22T03:19:08ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512015-04-01741206123410.3390/toxins7041206toxins7041206Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health ProtectionVera L. Trainer0F. Joan Hardy1NOAA, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Marine Biotoxins Program, Seattle, WA 98112, USAWashington State Department of Health, Olympia, WA 98504, USAThe more frequent occurrence of both marine and freshwater toxic algal blooms and recent problems with new toxic events have increased the risk for illness and negatively impacted sustainable public access to safe shellfish and recreational waters in Washington State. Marine toxins that affect safe shellfish harvest in the state are the saxitoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), domoic acid that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) and the first ever US closure in 2011 due to diarrhetic shellfish toxins that cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). Likewise, the freshwater toxins microcystins, anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsins, and saxitoxins have been measured in state lakes, although cylindrospermopsins have not yet been measured above state regulatory guidance levels. This increased incidence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) has necessitated the partnering of state regulatory programs with citizen and user-fee sponsored monitoring efforts such as SoundToxins, the Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) partnership and the state’s freshwater harmful algal bloom passive (opportunistic) surveillance program that allow citizens to share their observations with scientists. Through such integrated programs that provide an effective interface between formalized state and federal programs and observations by the general public, county staff and trained citizen volunteers, the best possible early warning systems can be instituted for surveillance of known HABs, as well as for the reporting and diagnosis of unusual events that may impact the future health of oceans, lakes, wildlife, and humans.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/7/4/1206domoic acid amnesic shellfish poisoningsaxitoxinparalytic shellfish poisoningokadaic aciddiarrhetic shellfish poisoningfreshwater HABsanatoxin-amicrocystinsORHABSoundToxins
spellingShingle Vera L. Trainer
F. Joan Hardy
Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health Protection
Toxins
domoic acid amnesic shellfish poisoning
saxitoxin
paralytic shellfish poisoning
okadaic acid
diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
freshwater HABs
anatoxin-a
microcystins
ORHAB
SoundToxins
title Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health Protection
title_full Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health Protection
title_fullStr Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health Protection
title_full_unstemmed Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health Protection
title_short Integrative Monitoring of Marine and Freshwater Harmful Algae in Washington State for Public Health Protection
title_sort integrative monitoring of marine and freshwater harmful algae in washington state for public health protection
topic domoic acid amnesic shellfish poisoning
saxitoxin
paralytic shellfish poisoning
okadaic acid
diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
freshwater HABs
anatoxin-a
microcystins
ORHAB
SoundToxins
url http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/7/4/1206
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