Stuart Ludsin, co-director of Ohio State’s Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, and EEOB associate professor, is PI on a new, two-year, $162,598 Ohio Board of Regents grant that will study fish flesh and fresh produce as sources of human exposure to a liver toxin, microcystin.

Ludsin is joined by FAES associate investigators Jiyoung Lee, Public Health & Food Science and Technology; Jay Martin, Food, Agricultural & Biological Engineering; and Kenneth Riedl and Steven Schwartz, Food Science and Technology. Their overarching goal is to determine if consumption of fish from Lake Erie or fresh produce grown with water from Lake Erie and its region, poses a risk to human health, due to contamination by cyanobacteria and their toxin, microcystin.

According to Ludsin, the genesis of this grant grew out of the widely publicized issues with Toledo’s water supply last summer when 400-600,000 people were without water and folks from as far away as California took notice. So too, did the Ohio Governor’s office.

Those not living near the shores of Lake Erie can easily forget the impact Ohio’s Great Lake has on both the human and economic health of the entire state of Ohio. 

“Lake Erie is two hours away from Columbus, but what affects the lake affects us,” Ludsin said. “Just because you can’t see it [the lake] doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care.

“Lake Erie has suffered from many impacts. These include changing agricultural practices, such as changes in the types of fertilizer and how and when they’re applied; and changes in climate. In addition to record-breaking years of high temperature, there have been significant increases in precipitation and big storm events leading to increased run-off, ultimately leading to algal blooms that can be harmful to the health of the lake itself and possibly those living around it.

“We are at the point where it is becoming increasingly important to understand the impacts of algal blooms on both human health and the environment, along with getting a better understanding of the long-term ramifications for Lake Erie’s food webs.

“At this point it’s a black box — what the consequences of harmful algal blooms might be — this is what our research is trying to get to. Also, until we fully know the causes, we can’t prevent the effects — we need to get to the root of the problem.

“To date, there has not been a definitive study saying whether there could be a human-health impact or not, so a study is key to address the question of ‘why care about algal bloom — is it just aesthetically displeasing or are there real consequences impacting human health?’

“Our project is partly seeking to improve methods for isolating microcystins in fish tissue. And, by analyzing walleye and yellow perch from Lake Erie, we hope to answer lots of questions like, ‘How much toxins are in fish flesh?’ ‘Can proper cooking methods break down toxins?’ ‘Do we need to have consumption advisories based on microcystin in the water or fish tissue?’”

The research Ludsin and his colleagues will be conducting over the next two years to find answers to all of these questions will offer a means to help agencies, such as Ohio EPA and the Ohio Division of Wildlife, better understand if these food vectors offer a risk to human health.

And, the good news for all Ohioans is that this research will provide a springboard for these agencies to develop consumption advisories and guidelines for the public based on microcystin levels in food — something we do not have now.

—Sandi Rutkowski