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Ohio State News

  1. A harmful algal bloom in the Western Basin of Lake Erie on Sept. 20, 2017. Photo: Zachary Haslick, Aerial Associates Photography, Inc.

    Current estimates of Lake Erie algae toxicity may miss the mark

    Aug 14, 2023

    Study suggests harmful algal bloom toxicity varies over the summer

    There is more to a harmful algal bloom than the green stuff in water that meets the eye – specifically, a changing hazard level of toxins produced by the microbes that make up the scummy mess.  A new study analyzing toxins produced by Microcystis, the main type of cyanobacteria that compose the annual harmful algal bloom (HAB) in Lake Erie, suggests that the toxicity of the bloom may be overestimated in earlier warm months and underestimated later in the summer. The research is part of a large project, led by The Ohio State University, designed to develop a more accurate harmful algal bloom toxicity forecast for Lake Erie. Read more >>