Last month, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) acute notification level (NL) recommendations for four cyanotoxins. They represent OEHHA's recommended maximum concentrations for these cyanotoxins that people can consume over a 24-hour period. 

Cyanotoxins are toxins produced by cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, during algal blooms. Cyanobacteria are naturally-occurring photosynthetic bacteria found in freshwater and marine ecosystems. The warm summer months are when water temperatures rise and harmful algal blooms (HABs) are most common, including those caused by cyanobacteria. 

“A notification level is a health-based advisory level established by the Water Board's Division of Drinking Water for chemicals that lack drinking water regulatory standards,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing's Huntington Beach facility.  “If a chemical is found at a concentration greater than their NL, certain requirements and recommendations apply. The four cyanotoxins recommendations covered in this recent acute NL include anatoxin-a, microcystins, cylindrospermopsin and saxitoxins. To help protect the California's water supply, LA Testing and our network of laboratories provide testing services for these four cyanotoxins as well as algal identification, algal biomass analysis and various other algal toxin analyses.” 

Several years ago, LA Testing sponsored an educational video about harmful algal blooms that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/JF8UnMJ84HU 

To learn more about this or other environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794.

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California's leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals.  In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states.  LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.

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