In the past few years, there have been growing numbers of blue-green alga (cyanobacteria), in North America and Europe. This has led to an increase in the number of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Researchers from the UK, France, Spain, Italian and Malaysia reported on this issue. Researchers from McGill University, Canada, and Nottingham University, England published their findings in Ecology Letters. They claim that the algal surge was caused by pollution. They examined over 100 lakes from the alpine and lower-altitude regions of North America and Europe. The researchers were shocked to see an alarming rise in the levels of cyanobacteria over the last 200 year. The number of cyanobacteria has increased in areas near farms. McGill University. The study is believed to be the first one that shows the availability of nutrients phosphorus, and nitrogen by algae – often resulting from fertilizers and sewage discharge – as the primary factors behind the rise in cyanobacteria populations in large areas. Global warming could also be a factor in the increase of cyanobacteria, according to scientists. They noted that water management problems will only get more difficult as the world gets warmer. Zofia Taranu is a McGill PhD student who conducted the research. She said that she found that cyanobacteria populations had increased in several lakes following the introduction of fertilizers industrially manufactured and fast urban growth. “Water contamination Most municipal water treatment facilities do not regularly test their water for cyanobacterial toxicants. Only those who have a history of algal blooms are allowed to check their water supply. Once the algae is detected, it can be treated with a chemical to bind them and then separated. Although this method is effective in removing cells, it may not be the best. They could have broken down or released toxic chemicals into the water. The environmental damage caused by this alga is estimated at more than $100 millions annually in Australia and the United Kingdom. Photosynthesis is how Cyanobacteria get their energy (Image: University of California Museum of Paleontology). Dr Suzanne McGowan, Heather Moorhouse and Mark Stevenson from Nottingham collected sediment cores from major UK lakes districts, including those in Northern Ireland and Scotland. They then analysed the samples for any pigments left by blue-green alga. The pigments are stable for thousands of years and can be used as biomarkers to provide data about the past levels of algal activity in water. Rapid growth in lakes close to farms. The analysis revealed that 58% lakes had experienced significant increases in blue-green algal pigment levels over the past 200 year, while only 3% saw an increase in their algae population. The most vulnerable to cyanobacteria population increases were lowland lakes located near agricultural land. The majority of British lakes can be found near catchments for agricultural crops. According to the authors, the rate of blue-green alga has grown faster than other types of water-borne alga since 1945. Most increases in blue-green algae were seen in temperate lowlands, 70% Europe and 61% North America. These areas were closer to farms than alpine regions (36%).. Blue-green algal population trends in 10 countries across three continents revealed that blue-green algae growth was driven primarily by changes in nutrients, namely nitrogen and phosphorus. Their findings suggest that further research is needed to determine how to reduce the amount of nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich contaminants in drinking water. Research has shown that a high level of exposure to cyanobacteria neurotoxin BMAA can increase the risk of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. A research published in Acta Neurologica Scandinavica stated that BMAA was found in North American ALS patients and suggests a possible gene/environment interaction. Heather Moorhouse and Giuseppe Morabito were all affected by BMAA. Ecology Letters. Publication online February 26, 2015. DOI: 10.1111/ele. 12420.
