Detection of Aerosolized Anabaenopeptin Emitted from a Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Bloom

During a cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom (cHAB), the toxins produced may pose a serious threat to nearby communities. Many cyanotoxins studies have focused on microcystins in water due to their toxicity when ingested. More recently, there has been increasing concern regarding the health effects of inhaling aerosolized microcystins, which are emitted into the atmosphere through the formation of lake spray aerosol (LSA). However, cyanobacteria can produce other classes of cyanotoxins besides microcystins. Grand Lake St. Marys, located in Ohio, frequently experiences cHABs and has previously documented several cyanobacteria species that can produce a class of cyanotoxins called ananbaenopeptin (AP). Utilizing LC-MS/MS, we determined that the concentrations of AP in the water samples collected in Grand Lake St. Marys were significantly higher than other classes of cyanotoxins like microcystins. Additionally, the wave-breaking process observed around the lake led to the production of LSA containing AP, which was detected in the ambient aerosol samples. In this study, we showed that cyanobacteria in Grand Lake St. Marys produced different types of cyanotoxins, and the magnitudes of cyanotoxin concentrations differed greatly in water and aerosol samples.