Review

Occupational and environmental hazard assessments for the isolation, purification and toxicity testing of cyanobacterial toxins

Ian Stewart^1,2 , Wayne W Carmichael³ , Ross Sadler² , Glenn B McGregor⁴ , Karen Reardon¹ , Geoffrey K Eaglesham¹ , Wasantha A Wickramasinghe⁵ , Alan A Seawright⁵ and Glen R Shaw^6,7

¹  Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia

²  School of Public Health, Griffith University, Logan Campus, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia

³  Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glen Highway, Dayton, Ohio 45435, USA

⁴  Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management, 120 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068, Australia

⁵  The University of Queensland, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia

⁶  School of Public Health, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Parklands Drive, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia

⁷  Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Parklands Drive, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia

author email corresponding author email

Environmental Health 2009, 8:52doi:10.1186/1476-069X-8-52

Published:	19 November 2009

Abstract

Cyanobacteria can produce groups of structurally and functionally unrelated but highly potent toxins. Cyanotoxins are used in multiple research endeavours, either for direct investigation of their toxicologic properties, or as functional analogues for various biochemical and physiological processes. This paper presents occupational safety guidelines and recommendations for personnel working in field, laboratory or industrial settings to produce and use purified cyanotoxins and toxic cyanobacteria, from bulk harvesting of bloom material, mass culture of laboratory isolates, through routine extraction, isolation and purification. Oral, inhalational, dermal and parenteral routes are all potential occupational exposure pathways during the various stages of cyanotoxin production and application. Investigation of toxicologic or pharmacologic properties using in vivo models may present specific risks if radiolabelled cyanotoxins are employed, and the potential for occupational exposure via the dermal route is heightened with the use of organic solvents as vehicles. Inter- and intra-national transport of living cyanobacteria for research purposes risks establishing feral microalgal populations, so disinfection of culture equipment and destruction of cells by autoclaving, incineration and/or chlorination is recommended in order to prevent viable cyanobacteria from escaping research or production facilities.