Blue-Green Algae study takes place this summer

* Study will not be able to determine if lake users who experience common health symptoms became ill due to blue-green algal toxin exposure

By Justin Harris
Pioneer Press Staff Writer

Pioneer Press

Fort Jones, CA 530-468-5355

mailto:pioneerp@sisqtel.net

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Page E1, Column 1

SISKIYOU COUNTY - A study  will take place Aug. 17-19, 2007 at Copco and Iron Gates reservoirs to examine whether exposure to Cyanobacterial toxins (blue-green algae) has adverse effects to humans.

The study, conducted by Lorraine C. Backer from the Health Studies Branch of the National Center for Environmental Health in Chamblee, Georgia and Sandra V. McNeel from the Environmental Health Investigations Branch of the California Department of Health Services in Richmond, Calif. will try to determine whether people who use these reservoirs for recreational activities during algae blooms are exposed to microcystins. According to some data, microcystins may cause liver damage and other health effects. Collaborating Investigator Terry Barber, Director of Siskiyou County Environmental Health will also contribute to the study.

According to a press release provided by the group, evidence of adverse human health events from exposure to cyanobacterial blooms is primarily anecdotal, but continues to accumulate.  In a recent study of Florida jet-skiers, Dr. Ian Stewart found increases in some symptoms and in respiratory illnesses in people who had been jet-skiing in bloom-contaminated waters.  However, the sample size for this study was small, and there were a number of issues regarding recruiting, etc. that could be addressed in a larger study. The National Center for Environmental Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have identified recreational lakes in Florida and other states that have historically had blue-green blooms, including those with cyanobacteria that produce microcystins.  During the summers of 2005 and 2006 high concentrations of microcystins were found in lake water at several locations along the shoreline and in open water of both Copco and Iron Gate reservoirs.  Researchers from the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), the California Department of Public Health, and the Siskiyou County Health Department will be conducting a study this summer at Copco and Iron Gate to further investigate whether people who use these reservoirs for recreational activities during algal blooms are exposed to microcystins.

Study Goals

This small pilot study will evaluate several questions:

*do microcystins in lake water become aerosolized during activities such as water-skiing or wake-boarding?

*do recreational activities such as swimming, water-skiing or boating lead to detectible levels of microcystins in a participants nasal secretions or blood?

*If microcystins are found in participants biological samples, researchers will develop theories about:

*whether the type or amount of water activities affects serum or nasal toxin concentrations, and

*how to examine relationships between microcystins in lake water or water spray and potential health effects.

These theories will provide hypotheses for future research that may be conducted, depending on funding availability.

Protocol Summary

At Copco and Iron Gate reservoirs up to a total of 100 study participants will be recruited who are at risk for swallowing water or inhaling spray (i.e., swimmers, water skiers, jet skiers, people sailing small boats) and who would normally be doing these activities, even in the presence of a bloom.  In addition, we will recruit up to 50 study participants from Shasta Lake , as a comparison group, since this lake has not had historical algal blooms.

The study will be conducted in mid to late August 2007 when algal blooms and microcystin concentrations in the Klamath reservoirs have been highest in recent years.

The group will set up a mobile study center located near the lake shoreline and recruit people when they arrive at the lake for their recreational activities.  Interested individuals will complete an eligibility survey.  If they are interested and eligible to participate, participants will do the following:

Sign a consent form to participate in a research study;
Answer questions about their health and what types of activities they plan to do at the lake;

Provide a nasal swab sample before they engage in lake water activities;
Do their planned activities at the lake;
Complete a post-activity survey to gain more specific information on: a) duration and type of water contact and aerosol exposure, and b) health status;
Provide a post-water activity nasal swab sample;
Provide a small (10ml) blood sample; and
Answer follow-up health-related questions through a telephone survey 7-10 days after the initial questionnaire.

Nasal swab and blood samples will be analyzed only for microcystins. We will pay each participant $40 if they complete all study activities.

In addition, environmental samples including water samples will be collected (for algae identification, enumeration, and toxin analysis) and aerosols (for toxin analysis only).  Water samples will be analyzed for total microcystin concentration by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at two laboratories: GreenWater Labs, Florida and U.S. E.P.A. Region IX Lab, Richmond , California . A subset of approximately half the water samples collected at Copco/Iron Gate will additionally be analyzed for concentrations of individual common microcystin congeners by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) at the California Department of Public Health Sanitation and Radiation Lab, Richmond , California .  Water samples will be collected at 3 open-water locations twice daily while the study is in the field. Researchers will select one water collection site to duplicate one of the open-water collection locations used by the Karuk Tribe for their biweekly monitoring.  The other two sites will be selected to roughly triangulate the reservoir.  A large volume air sampler will be positioned on the shoreline to collect aerosol samples and boaters will be asked to attach small passive air samplers to their water craft to collect aerosol samples while they are on the lake.

Public Participation:

Responding to communities' environmental health concerns, fostering partnership, addressing priority issues, and instilling accountability are important values for how research is conducted.  The pilot study will have a stakeholder engagement, education and communication action plan to address the following goals:

To assess local and relevant stakeholder concerns, suggestions, needs related to the study effort and to develop an action plan in response to those needs.

Help stakeholders understand the goals and possible results of the study.

Provide opportunities for engagement and feedback around the following areas:
* How to effectively advertise and recruit participants into the study.
* How to effectively set up logistics of the mobile study center to maximize participation.
* How to effectively communicate results and respond to concerns.

Develop a plan and approach to the study that provides transparency, clarity around roles and opportunities for collaboration between CDHS, county health department and other local interested stakeholders.

Study Limitations

This small pilot study will not be able to determine if lake users who experience common health symptoms such as eye/nose/throat irritation, rash, headache, or gastrointestinal illness after being in the lake became ill due to blue-green algal toxin exposure.  The study will not be able to determine whether blue-green algal toxins in Copco or Iron Gate reservoirs do or do not cause health problems to those using the lakes for recreational activities, although hypotheses regarding such associations may be generated for further study.

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