Water that is unusually blue, green, brown, yellow, orange, or red is another sign of a harmful bloom, as is a rotten-egg-type smell, which occurs when these bacteria decay and release stinky gasses.
But here’s the catch: Not all bodies of water that look and/or smell like this actually contain toxins. “You could have a minor bloom that is highly toxic or a pea-soup green lake that no sane person or even dog would ever think to go into, and there’s no toxins,” Herron says. “It’s really confounding.”
On a similar note, crystal clear water can also be toxic, according to H. Dail Laughinghouse, PhD, a research scientist specializing in cyanobacteria with the University of Florida. That’s because some blue-green algal blooms are benthic, meaning they’re attached to the bottom of the lake, river, or pond but still release toxins into the water without changing what it looks like.
This is why you shouldn’t strictly rely on what you see or smell and instead check for water quality advisories from your local environmental agencies or watershed groups, Herron says. You can also report algal blooms to your state via online forms like this one. “Generally speaking, if it looks like a cyanobacteria bloom, better safe than sorry—stay out” she adds.
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Where do blue-green algal blooms typically occur and are they getting worse?
Blue-green algal blooms tend to pop up in warm, slow-moving or still water like lakes, ponds, and rivers, says Dr. Laughinghouse; however, certain species can thrive in cooler waters too. Toxic blooms have been reported in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, according to the CDC.
There’s some debate among experts about whether blue-green algal blooms really are getting worse with each passing summer, Dr. Laughinghouse says. On one hand, studies show that global warming and increased nutrient pollution into natural bodies of water from agriculture and heavier rain storms are in fact feeding more harmful blooms. But on the other, some experts think they’re just noticing them more as people learn about what these blooms look like and report them.
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What are the symptoms of toxic blue-green algae exposure?
Getting contaminated water on your skin or even inhaling tiny droplets during activities like tubing or jet skiing can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and skin, causing symptoms like a cough and rash.
Swallowing water or eating seafood that contains these toxins can be more problematic, Dr. Laughinghouse says, and lead to stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, muscle weakness, dizziness, and liver damage.
It’s totally normal for more mild symptoms like a rash to appear right away, and then get better after a day or two with some simple over-the-counter relief, per your doctor’s advice, the CDC says. More serious symptoms may take several hours to spring up, in which case you should stay in contact with a healthcare professional so they can guide you through it and advise, if necessary, a trip to an urgent care or hospital.
Although the long-term health effects of these toxins remain unclear, it’s rare for people to die from blue-green algae exposure.
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What should I do if I think I’m exposed to toxic blue-green algae?
If you didn’t suspect that the body of water you just swam in potentially contains blue-green algae until after you got out, here’s what you should do. First, rinse your entire body off with tap water as soon as possible, even if you didn’t swim in the lake, pond, or river, the CDC says. If you start to feel sick, call a healthcare provider or the national Poison Control hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
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