Detection of airborne endotoxins and toxins from cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and the effect of atmospheric oxidants on their longevity and potency

检测空气中的内毒素和蓝藻有害藻华毒素以及大气氧化剂对其寿命和效力的影响

• 批准号: 2133870
• 负责人: Josephine Aller
• 金额: $ 33万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Stony Brook
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2133870&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Detection; airborne; endotoxins; toxins; cyanobacterial

Algae and cyanobacteria naturally inhabit lakes and other aquatic environments. Some of these species can grow out of control forming dense cell concentrations or harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs are caused by excess inputs of nutrients and warmer temperatures, and they are increasingly common in waterbodies throughout the U.S. and globally. Some cyanobacteria produce toxins (‘cyanotoxins’) that can harm people and animals, with associated economic costs due to impacts on drinking water supplies and recreational activities. Humans are exposed to these toxins through skin contact, drinking water, and eating contaminated shellfish. Less well understood is the potential inhalation of airborne cyanotoxins, which likely results from wind blowing over water surfaces that cause bubbles to burst and spread particles into the air. The goal of this research is to understand the link between cyanotoxin production during HABs to their presence and lifetime in the air. This goal will be achieved by monitoring cyanotoxins in small lakes in eastern Long Island, New York, which are known to have HABs during summer months. At the same time, air samples will be collected onto filters and examined for the presence of cyanotoxins. The research will compare these field results over multiple HAB events to assess relationships. Successful completion of this research will help close this important knowledge gap and help assess the potential impacts on human and ecosystem health. These results will be shared with local and state governmental agencies to provide information for citizens to stay healthy. Additional benefits to society result from dissemination of data that can be used to develop public policy for the management of water resources. The increase in frequency, severity, and geographical extent of HABs in aquatic ecosystems has resulted in an increased likelihood of cyanotoxin exposure in areas that experience recurrent blooms. HABs caused by Microcystis aeruginosa represent a clear example of the synergistic impact of eutrophication and warming. Excess nutrients promote increases in biomass and enhanced production of microcystins, a process that is enhanced at warmer temperatures. During a bloom, spray aerosol produced via wind blowing over the water and bubble bursting processes can incorporate intact cells, microcystins, and cell fragments that exist in respirable size fractions PM-10 and PM-2.5. This project is based on evidence that spray aerosol can promote acute respiratory distress great distances from source blooms. The overall goal of this project is to elucidate connections between cyanotoxin production in aquatic systems and airborne transport of cyanotoxins. This will be achieved through field collection of aerosolized particles using a high-volume air sampler/impaction system that allows real-time spatiotemporal collection of aerosol microcystins and endotoxins. The longevity and potency of airborne toxins will be examined considering changes in photochemical reactivity and meteorological conditions. Laboratory experiments that mimic atmospheric oxidation processes will assess the chemical stability of the airborne toxins relative to their residence time in the atmosphere. The interdisciplinary research team combines necessary expertise in HAB ecology, microbiology, environmental organic chemistry, environmental engineering, and atmospheric aerosol science to achieve the project objectives. Successful completion of this research will provide critical public health information for proactive responses to potential events at time scales relevant to the HAB management community and other relevant stakeholders.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

藻类和蓝藻自然栖息在湖泊和其他水生环境中。这些物种中的一些可以生长失控，形成密集的细胞浓度或有害的藻华（HABs）。有害藻华是由营养物质的过量输入和温度升高引起的，它们在美国和全球的水体中越来越普遍。一些蓝藻产生的毒素（“蓝藻毒素”）会对人和动物造成伤害，并由于对饮用水供应和娱乐活动的影响而产生相关的经济成本。人类通过皮肤接触、饮用水和食用受污染的贝类接触到这些毒素。人们不太了解的是空气中可能吸入的蓝藻毒素，这可能是由于风吹过水面导致气泡破裂并将颗粒扩散到空气中。本研究的目的是了解赤潮期间蓝藻毒素的产生与它们在空气中的存在和寿命之间的联系。这一目标将通过监测纽约长岛东部小湖泊中的蓝藻毒素来实现，这些湖泊在夏季被认为有赤潮。同时，空气样本将被收集到过滤器上，并检查是否存在蓝藻毒素。该研究将比较多个赤潮事件的现场结果，以评估两者之间的关系。这项研究的成功完成将有助于缩小这一重要的知识差距，并有助于评估对人类和生态系统健康的潜在影响。这些结果将与地方和州政府机构共享，为公民保持健康提供信息。传播可用于制定水资源管理公共政策的数据对社会有额外的好处。水生生态系统中有害藻华发生的频率、严重程度和地理范围的增加，导致在经常发生藻华的地区接触蓝藻毒素的可能性增加。由铜绿微囊藻引起的有害藻华是富营养化和变暖协同影响的一个明显例子。过量的营养物质促进了生物量的增加和微囊藻毒素的产生，这一过程在温度升高时得到加强。在水华期间，由风吹过水面和气泡破裂过程产生的喷雾气溶胶可以包含完整的细胞、微囊藻毒素和存在于可吸入颗粒PM-10和PM-2.5中的细胞碎片。这个项目是基于证据，喷雾气溶胶可以促进急性呼吸窘迫远离源华。这个项目的总体目标是阐明蓝藻毒素在水生系统的生产和蓝藻毒素的空气传播之间的联系。这将通过使用大容量空气采样器/撞击系统现场收集雾化颗粒来实现，该系统可以实时收集气溶胶微囊藻毒素和内毒素的时空。考虑到光化学反应性和气象条件的变化，将检查空气中毒素的寿命和效力。模拟大气氧化过程的实验室实验将评估空气传播毒素相对于其在大气中停留时间的化学稳定性。跨学科的研究团队结合了有害藻华生态学、微生物学、环境有机化学、环境工程和大气气溶胶科学等方面的必要专业知识，以实现项目目标。这项研究的成功完成将为在与赤潮管理界和其他相关利益攸关方相关的时间尺度上积极应对潜在事件提供关键的公共卫生信息。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。