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Observations of Toxic Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria) in Some Scandinavian Lakes

Funn av giftige blågrønnalger i endel skandinaviske innsjøer

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 27, pages 440–452 (1986)Cite this article

Abstract

Blooms of blue-green algae from 51 eutrophic Scandinavian lakes were investigated during the period 1978–1984, to ascertain the occurrence of toxinogenic species.

Toxicity assays were performed by intraperitoneal injection of suspensions of freeze-dried algal material in mice. Toxin-producing blue-green algae were found in 30 lakes. They belonged to 11 different species of the six genera Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Gomphosphaeria, Microcystis, Nodularia and Oscillatoria.

The presence of toxinogenic strains of blue-green algae seemed quite constant in several of the localities studied. In some lakes, more than one toxic species were found to develop simultaneously. The level of toxicity showed large variation (MLD100, 6 to > 2500 mg/kg), but clinical and pathological changes were quite uniform.

The results indicate that water-blooms of toxin-producing blue-green algae, in the geographical area in question, are regionally widespread. In some localities, blooms of blue-green algae are apparently always toxic. Several aspects of the toxic blue-green algae problem are discussed.

Sammendrag

Oppblomstringer av blågrønnalger fra 51 eutrofe skandinaviske innsjøer ble undersøkt i perioden 1978–1984, for å fastslå utbredelsen av giftige arter.

Toksisitetstester ble utført ved intraperitoneal injeksjon av frysetørket algemateriale på mus. Toksinproduserende blågrønnalger ble funnet i 30 innsjøer. Algene tilhørte 11 forskjellige arter innen de 6 generaene Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Gomphosphaeria, Microcystis, Nodularia og Oscillatoria.

Giftige blågrønnalgestammer syntes å være relativt permanent tilstede i flere av de undersøkte lokalitetene. I noen innsjøer ble det funnet mer enn en giftig stamme samtidig. Toksisitetsnivået varierte svært (MLD100 6 — > 2500 mg/kg), men de kliniske og patologiske endringene var nokså ensartede.

Resultatene indikerer at vannblomst med toksinproduserende blågrønnalger er relativt vanlig forekommende i deler av det undersøkte området. I noen lokaliteter er slike oppblomstringer tilsynelatende alltid giftige. Ulike sider av problematikken omkring giftige blågrønnalger diskuteres.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Wayne W. Carmichael and Geoffrey A. Codd for helpful discussions, advice and encouragement during the preparation of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Hygiene, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 8146 -Dep., N-0033, Oslo 1, Norway

    Kjetil Berg, Olav M. Skulberg, Randi Skulberg, Bjarne Underdal & Torbjørn Willén

  2. Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway

    Kjetil Berg, Olav M. Skulberg, Randi Skulberg, Bjarne Underdal & Torbjørn Willén

  3. National Swedish Environment Protection Board, Water Laboratory, Uppsala, Sweden

    Kjetil Berg, Olav M. Skulberg, Randi Skulberg, Bjarne Underdal & Torbjørn Willén

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  1. Kjetil Berg
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  2. Olav M. Skulberg
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  3. Randi Skulberg
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  4. Bjarne Underdal
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  5. Torbjørn Willén
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Berg, K., Skulberg, O.M., Skulberg, R. et al. Observations of Toxic Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria) in Some Scandinavian Lakes. Acta Vet Scand 27, 440–452 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548157

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147