Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID NJ_FY2025_LIU

Assessing effects of algicides use on cyanotoxin release from harmful algal blooms and its subsequent degradation in New Jersey recreational surface water

Institute: New Jersey
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $25,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $26,003

Principal Investigators: Shuting Liu

Project Summary: Harmful algal blooms (HAB), especially cyanobacterial HAB, are recurring problems in New Jersey (NJ) freshwater systems, leading to deterioration of water quality and adverse human health effects through recreational exposure to cyanotoxins. Algicides have been widely used as a HAB treatment approach in NJ recreational surface waters. Although algicides kill and inhibit HAB growth, they may result in the release of toxins from intracellular cells to extracellular aquatic environments in a short time. While cyanobacterial HAB species and cyanotoxin produced in NJ freshwater have been extensively studied through statewide efforts, the effect of algicide use on cyanotoxin release and the subsequent degradation of cyanotoxins by endemic microbial communities are understudied. We propose to assess the release of dissolved cyanotoxins due to the addition of copper or peroxide algicide in two cyanobacterial HAB species cultures and their subsequent degradation by lake microbial communities. Then we will link these to field cyanotoxins (microcystin congers, saxitoxin, anatoxin, and cylindrospermopsin) assessment in summer-fall HAB seasons, focusing on two NJ recreational lakes (Weequahic Lake and Lake Hopatcong) with different dominant HAB species (Microcystis vs. Aphanizomenon). The cyanotoxin release content, rate, and degradation afterward will determine its persistence time in the water, which will help establish the time length of additional warning on the prohibited water use even after algicide treatment.