General Information

Event name: AU-79-001
Country: AUSTRALIA
Nature of the harmful event:
High Phyto concentration , Freshwater
Event directly affected:
Humans
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: retrospectively)
Associated syndrome: Cyanobacterial toxins effects
Unexplained toxicity:
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector): drinking water
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: No
Event occurred before in this location:
Individuals to contact: Hallegraeff Gustaaf

Location & Date

[View larger map]
Location: Latitude: , Longitude:
General location information: Palm Island,
HAB Area code(s): AU-32
Additional location information:
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd): Event Date:1979-02-01
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:

Microalgae

Causative organism known: Yes
Causative Species/Genus: Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii ( cells/L)
Co-Ocurring Species/Genus:
Chlorophyll concentration, if known: µg/l
Additional bloom information:
Event-related bibliography: Hawkins P. R., Runnegar M. T. C., Jackson A. R. B., Falconer I. R. (1985). Severe hepatotoxicity caused by the tropical cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenaya and Subba Raju isolated from a domestic water supply reservoir. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 50, 1292–1295.

Environmental Conditions

Weather: Turbidity (NTU): Wind direction:
Stratified water: Oxygen content (nL/L): Wind velocity:
Temperature (°C): Oxygen saturation %: Current Direction:
Sechhi disk (m): Salinity: Current Velocity:
Nutrient information:
Temperature Range During Event: Max: °C, Min: °C
Salinity Range During Event:
Bloom location in the water column:
Growth:
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information:

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Kit used: Type of kit used:
Additional information: mouse bioassay; 50% lethal dose at 24 h after injection was found to be 64 +/- 5 mg of freeze-dried culture per kg of mouse.
Economic losses:
Management decision: copper sulfate was dosed on a local water supply (but with adverse effects)
Additional harmful effect information: 148 people required hospitalisation with symptoms of gastro-enteritis after a local water supply on Palm Island (Australia) was dosed with copper sulfate to control a dense algal bloom
Created at 10:31 on 11 Mar 2018
Updated at 10:42 on 11 Mar 2018
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES