Abstract
Florida red tides, an annual event off the west coast of Florida, are caused by the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis. K. brevis produces a suite of potent neurotoxins, brevetoxins, which kill fish, sea birds, and marine mammals, as well as sickening humans who consume contaminated shellfish. These toxins become part of the marine aerosol, and can also be inhaled by humans and other animals. Recent studies have demonstrated a significant increase in symptoms and decrease in lung function in asthmatics after only one hour of beach exposure during an onshore Florida red tide bloom. This study constructed a transect line placing high volume air samplers to measure brevetoxins at sites beginning at the beach, moving approximately 6.4 km inland. One non-exposure and 2 exposure studies, each of 5 days duration, were conducted. No toxins were measured in the air during the non-exposure period. During the 2 exposure periods, the amount of brevetoxins varied considerably by site and by date. Nevertheless, brevetoxins were measured at least 4.2 km from the beach and/or 1.6 km from the coastal shoreline. Therefore, populations sensitive to brevetoxins (such as asthmatics) need to know that leaving the beach may not discontinue their environmental exposure to brevetoxin aerosols.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 186-189 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Harmful Algae |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 1 2010 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Air monitoring
- Asthma
- Brevetoxins
- Harmful algal blooms (HABs)
- Karenia brevis
- Red tides
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aquatic Science
- Plant Science
Cite this
Inland transport of aerosolized Florida red tide toxins. / Kirkpatrick, Barbara; Pierce, Richard; Cheng, Yung Sung; Henry, Michael S.; Blum, Patricia; Osborn, Shannon; Nierenberg, Kate; Pederson, Bradley A.; Fleming, Lora E.; Reich, Andrew; Naar, Jerome; Kirkpatrick, Gary; Backer, Lorraine C.; Baden, Daniel.
In: Harmful Algae, Vol. 9, No. 2, 01.02.2010, p. 186-189.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Inland transport of aerosolized Florida red tide toxins
AU - Kirkpatrick, Barbara
AU - Pierce, Richard
AU - Cheng, Yung Sung
AU - Henry, Michael S.
AU - Blum, Patricia
AU - Osborn, Shannon
AU - Nierenberg, Kate
AU - Pederson, Bradley A.
AU - Fleming, Lora E.
AU - Reich, Andrew
AU - Naar, Jerome
AU - Kirkpatrick, Gary
AU - Backer, Lorraine C.
AU - Baden, Daniel
PY - 2010/2/1
Y1 - 2010/2/1
N2 - Florida red tides, an annual event off the west coast of Florida, are caused by the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis. K. brevis produces a suite of potent neurotoxins, brevetoxins, which kill fish, sea birds, and marine mammals, as well as sickening humans who consume contaminated shellfish. These toxins become part of the marine aerosol, and can also be inhaled by humans and other animals. Recent studies have demonstrated a significant increase in symptoms and decrease in lung function in asthmatics after only one hour of beach exposure during an onshore Florida red tide bloom. This study constructed a transect line placing high volume air samplers to measure brevetoxins at sites beginning at the beach, moving approximately 6.4 km inland. One non-exposure and 2 exposure studies, each of 5 days duration, were conducted. No toxins were measured in the air during the non-exposure period. During the 2 exposure periods, the amount of brevetoxins varied considerably by site and by date. Nevertheless, brevetoxins were measured at least 4.2 km from the beach and/or 1.6 km from the coastal shoreline. Therefore, populations sensitive to brevetoxins (such as asthmatics) need to know that leaving the beach may not discontinue their environmental exposure to brevetoxin aerosols.
AB - Florida red tides, an annual event off the west coast of Florida, are caused by the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis. K. brevis produces a suite of potent neurotoxins, brevetoxins, which kill fish, sea birds, and marine mammals, as well as sickening humans who consume contaminated shellfish. These toxins become part of the marine aerosol, and can also be inhaled by humans and other animals. Recent studies have demonstrated a significant increase in symptoms and decrease in lung function in asthmatics after only one hour of beach exposure during an onshore Florida red tide bloom. This study constructed a transect line placing high volume air samplers to measure brevetoxins at sites beginning at the beach, moving approximately 6.4 km inland. One non-exposure and 2 exposure studies, each of 5 days duration, were conducted. No toxins were measured in the air during the non-exposure period. During the 2 exposure periods, the amount of brevetoxins varied considerably by site and by date. Nevertheless, brevetoxins were measured at least 4.2 km from the beach and/or 1.6 km from the coastal shoreline. Therefore, populations sensitive to brevetoxins (such as asthmatics) need to know that leaving the beach may not discontinue their environmental exposure to brevetoxin aerosols.
KW - Air monitoring
KW - Asthma
KW - Brevetoxins
KW - Harmful algal blooms (HABs)
KW - Karenia brevis
KW - Red tides
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=71249155230&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=71249155230&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.hal.2009.09.003
DO - 10.1016/j.hal.2009.09.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:71249155230
VL - 9
SP - 186
EP - 189
JO - Harmful Algae
JF - Harmful Algae
SN - 1568-9883
IS - 2
ER -