BOCA RATON, Fla. (CBS12) — Toxic blue-green algae has been an issue in our area for years, but can exposure to blue-green algae affect your long-term health?
A new study at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is looking to answer that question. Researchers are asking people who’ve been exposed to blue-green algae for blood samples and then analyzing it to see what it could do to their health over time.
“It could be groundbreaking, which is why I believe we are still funded to do this work is it’s important,” stated FAU Associate Professor Rebecca Koszalinski Ph.D., the Principal Investigator of this study.
Koszalinski says they’re studying blood samples of people who have been around blue-green algae for different lengths of time and at different proximities in the school’s Clinical Research Unit.
“Did they get in the water? Did they swim for 20 minutes? Did they swallow it? Did they get it in their eyes or their ears? So many variants, variables,” she shared.
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The ‘Long-term Effects of Exposure to Harmful Algal Blooms’ study – known as ‘LEE-HABs’ – is trying to determine not just overall health risks, but it’s also looking into whether it could worsen your pre-existing conditions, like asthma.
“We’re looking at impact over time rather than looking at just a specific snapshot,” Koszalinski explained. “We’re looking at how long does it take before there are effects and if there are effects, what are they? How negative are they? And if we can do that, then possibly we can predict and prevent.”
When the researchers take your blood, they will also ask questions about your health history, including if you’ve had COVID-19 or any other pre-existing conditions.
“People wanted to know. It was a question that was posed by the people of Florida have these blue-green algae blooms, what does this mean for our health?” Koszalinski said. “That’s the question we’re trying to answer.”
If you wish to read more about the study or participate in it, click here.