Do cyanobacterial toxins cause or accelerate cancer?
by Professor Ian Falconer, Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, University of Adelaide, CRC Project Leader The project team looking at the relation between cyanobacterial toxins and cancer includes Emma Moore, Suzanne Froscio, Prof Ian Falconer and Dr Andrew Humpage. Chemical contaminants of drinking water which are harmful to human health may act in two ways. They may be poisonous and injure organs and tissues, or they may result in cancer. Unfortunately, some of the natural toxins from cyanobacteria may be capable of both harmful effects. The main toxic cyanobacterium in southern Australia, which has caused many sheep and cattle deaths is Microcystis. This organism occurs in water supply reservoirs in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. The World Health Organization has recently set a safe drinking water guideline value for the toxin from Microcystis at 1 microgram per litre. The data on which this guideline is based came from research in the UK, and from
