The Effects of Algae in Drinking Water
By Eric Bank
States and
municipalities across the country have spent billions of dollars to create an
infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water to the public.
Part of this
money goes toward keeping reservoir water clean and non-toxic.
Some forms of
algae can create a challenge to water systems by producing toxins that can have
unpleasant, and even serious, health effects.
Other types of
algae are benign and actually improve water quality.
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
Blue-green algae are unicellular photosynthetic
organisms that can inhabit fresh and salty waters, as well as damp soil and
rocks, everywhere on Earth.
These organisms
are not true algae but rather are a type of bacteria known as cyanobacteria.
These little
creatures can form blooms on the surfaces of bodies of water that earn them the nickname 'pond scum'.
Blooms of
blue-green algae can endanger drinking water by producing toxins that if
ingested can cause illness and even death.
SOME GOOD, SOME BAD
Some cyanobacteria—those
that don't produce toxins—can actually improve the quality of bodies of water
by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and by making nitrogen available to
plants, a process called nitrogen
fixation.
These actions
support the growth of plants and the animals that eat them.
However, some cyanobacteria excrete poisons into the
surrounding waters that can cause various symptoms if contacted or ingested.
The types and
amounts of these poisons, or cyanotoxins,
produced depend on the species of cyanobacteria
and the size of the bloom.
When a bloom
dies off, the decomposing algae attract non-photosynthetic organisms that can
deplete oxygen from the water.
EFFECTS OF CYANOTOXINS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has
identified numerous toxins produced by certain types of blue-green algae.
Ingested cyanotoxins that attack the liver can
create abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, an inflamed and bleeding liver,
pneumonia or kidney damage and might even promote tumor growth.
Another set of cyanotoxins attacks the nervous system
and can cause tingling, numbness, a burning sensation, drowsiness, incoherence,
paralysis or death.
Skin contact
with cyanotoxins can cause irritation
of the skin, eyes, throat, nose or respiratory tract.
TRUE ALGAE
Different
species of algae can be green, red or brown.
True algae can
live in freshwater or marine environs and are generally less likely to produce
toxins than are blue-green algae.
However, certain
varieties of true algae called dinoflagellates
can form large masses known as red tides that can produce substantial
quantities of toxins.
Eating poisoned
shellfish can be toxic or fatal to humans.
Although algae
in drinking water is generally harmless, it's best to be on the safe side—wash
filtered-water pitchers, camping water containers and pet bowls with bleach,
and keep them out of the sun.
Eric Bank. Based in
Chicago, Eric Bank has been writing business-related articles since 1985, and
science articles since 2010. His articles have appeared in "PC
Magazine" and on numerous websites. He holds a B.S. in biology and an
M.B.A. from New York University. He also holds an M.S. in finance from DePaul
University.
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