Specialists at the Center for Oceans and Health for Interaction with Climate Change (OHHC2I) conducted a study and found that algal blooms can lead to neurological problems in humans. Writes about it California News Times.
During the flowering of algae, a substance called microcystin is formed. It is a toxin that enters wastewater and is then consumed by humans.
Microcystin inhibits the nervous system. According to scientists, the substance is associated with neuroinflammation, dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier, neurodegeneration, and other mental and neurological disorders. At risk are people with liver disease.
“Consuming the toxin in drinking water and for recreational purposes can affect the brain – the substance simply enters through the digestive tract,” explained OHHC2I principal investigator Jeff Scott.
The scientist said that at the moment, when monitoring recreational and drinking water, microcystins and other harmful substances that are formed as a result of algal blooms are not monitored. However, in his opinion, these risks should also be taken into account, since due to climate change and human activities, the scale and frequency of algal blooms are growing all over the world.
The bodies of a family were previously found on a hiking trail in the Sierra National Forest in the US state of California. The death of the travelers was attributed to the effects of poisonous algae. They grow in water and can release toxins, poisoning animals.
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