# Cyanobacteria and health effects



## tug (Mar 22, 2009)

The main health issues I have focused on are the conditions that bloom BGA in aquariums and how to avoid the use of any antibiotic, other wise it is ever present - don't play in the dirt. Then cyanobacteria is the least of your fears. It is worth considering the health risks of cats, dogs, iguanas (being the chicken of the trees risky) and many others but thats off topic, most of the time. I'm all for scaring people away from this hobby but a lack of exercise is why people get Alzheimer's.

Sorry, what was that you were saying?


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Whatever I snorted all my BGA when I got it in one of my tanks. I'm totally fine.


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## DirtDevilDTOM (Nov 10, 2014)

I've wondered this on occasion as well.

On the other end of the spectrum, there is a supplement called Spirulina that I believe is made from BGA and is a good protein source - at least higher than protein from other plants. If BGA is bad, why is this special and not harmful?

I wouldn't worry about inhaling BGA from the tank but it is something I'd like to learn more about. I did get sick from inhaling water when manually starting a siphon once. I know better now... haha


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## tug (Mar 22, 2009)

Wouldn't put my mouth on an old hose either.
All kidding aside, negligence always makes a bad situation worse.


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## PondLily (Dec 20, 2014)

Actually, spirulina becomes an iffy issue when you consider BMAA. The thing is BMAA has been barely studied, and there are other toxins that cyanobacteria produce as well. Here is a good overview:

http://www.jlakes.org/web/1-s2.0-S0160412013001311-main.pdf

It is important to recognize that not all BGA is toxic, BUT it could turn toxic like in a matter of hours for unknown reasons. I was very surprised how little cyanobacteria has been studied. Here in Florida, municipalities do not test or treat water for BMAA even though Florida has blooms like nearly every day somewhere.

Another thing is that BMAA can be airborn too. 



> At this point, Haney and graduate students are trying to understand under what conditions the toxins might be coming out of the lake and whether the airborne particles are an important route of exposure. Preliminary findings suggest that BMAA and other cyanobacteria cells are being aerolized. “There is potentially a large quantity of cyanobacteria that could be inhaled,” Haney said. He noted, however, that the measurements were taken about eight inches above the water's surface, making it likely that concentrations would be much lower farther away.


http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/...ink-between-lethal-disease-and-algae-explored


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## photoman (Mar 28, 2010)

Dr. Herbert Axelrod, still alive at age 87. I'm guessing he ran into some cyanobacteria in his day.


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## PondLily (Dec 20, 2014)

Well, there is genes-environment interaction, some people can metabolize and get rid of BMAA more successfully than others. But then again, today's populations have much more exposure and potential to accumulate than he had like 50-40 years ago. Blooms are increasing all over the world and you do not get it from aquarium only, you get it from drinking water , when you go swimming, surfing, kayaking, etc. It accumulates.


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