Table 1 Summary of specific hazards encountered when processing toxic cyanobacteria to produce cyanotoxins, and recommended control measures
Procedure | Hazard | Control measure |
|---|---|---|
Bulk harvesting - wet biomass | Oral exposure | Avoid accidental immersion |
| Â | Cutaneous and mucous membrane exposure | PPE: waterproof boots, gloves, waders; avoid splash generation |
| Â | Inhalation exposure | Work in calm water condition |
Bulk harvesting - dry biomass | Cutaneous and mucous membrane exposure | PPE: gloves, overalls |
| Â | Inhalation exposure | Consider wetting prior to harvest, otherwise protective respirator mask |
Laboratory culture of toxic cyanobacteria | Cutaneous and mucous membrane exposure | PPE: gloves, lab coat, eye splash protection for specific procedures. Contingency procedures to manage accidental spillage |
| Â | Inhalation exposure | Discontinue aeration for 5 minutes before opening culture vessels |
Concentration, lyophilisation, powdering | Cutaneous and mucous membrane exposure | PPE: gloves, lab coat, eye splash protection |
| Â | Inhalational exposure | Low-flow fume cupboard |
| Â | Â | PPE: face mask |
Solvent extraction, sonication, filtration, chromatography, | Cutaneous and mucous membrane exposure | PPE: gloves, lab coat, eye splash protection for specific procedures |
| Â | Inhalational exposure | PPE: face mask for procedures affording risk of spray generation |
Lyophilisation of pure product | Cutaneous exposure | PPE: gloves, lab coat |
| Â | Inhalational exposure | Care to avoid vessel breakage |
| Â | Â | PPE: face mask |
Toxicity studies using in vivo models | Parenteral exposure | Care when handling hypodermic needles, restraint of animals for dosing |
| Â | Cutaneous exposure | PPE: gloves, lab coat |
| Â | Inhalational exposure | Procedures to minimise or eliminate aerosol formation when disposing of urine. Experimental design features to avoid dry dust dispersal in feeding studies |
| Â | Â | PPE: face mask if aerosols likely |