Cyanobacteria known to produce cyanotoxins have been reported worldwide. As monitoring efforts have improved, they have been detected in not only freshwater, but also in estuary and marine waters. To assess the occurrence of cyanotoxins and algal toxins in California estuaries, the NOAA MERHAB funded project collected samples monthly from 11 Californian estuary locations, with 5 locations sampled in 2016 as event response. This data release includes liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) results for 21 cyanotoxins and algal toxins in estuary samples collected from California in 2016-2017.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) is a nationwide survey of coastal and estuarine water quality. During the 2015 EPA NCCA, samples were collected at 732 sites for analysis of algal toxins and cyanotoxins at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) at the U.S. Geological Survey Kansas Water Science Center (KSWSC) by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Samples from the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts of the conterminous U.S. were analyzed for anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, dinophysistoxin-1, dinophysistoxin-2, gymnodimine, 10 microcystin congeners, nodularin, okadaic acid, pectenotoxin-2, and 13-desmethyl spirolide c.

Cyanobacteria are common in inland water bodies. Many strains are known to produce potent toxins (cyanotoxins) which can impact human and animal health in sufficient concentrations. Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake are two impaired lakes in California with frequent cyanobacteria blooms that are not monitored for toxin production. These data document the liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) results for 21 cyanotoxins and algal toxins in 13 cyanobacteria samples collected during bloom events from Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake (CA, USA) in July, August, and September 2016.

The EPA National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) is a nation-wide survey of coastal and estuarine water quality. During the 2015 EPA NCCA, samples were collected for analysis of algal toxins and cyanotoxins at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) at the U.S. Geological Survey Kansas Water Science Center (KSWSC) by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The 542 samples collected from the Great Lakes were analyzed for anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, 10 microcystin congeners, nodularin, and okadaic acid. A subset of samples were also analyzed for dinophysistoxin-1, dinophysistoxin-2, gymnodimine, pectenotoxin-2, and 13-desmethyl spirolide c.

This dataset is comprised of cyanotoxin concentrations from whole water cyanotoxin samples collected at water quality stations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, beginning in 2020. Cyanotoxin congeners were measured from whole water cyanotoxin samples within the cyanotoxin classes: microcystins, anatoxins, cylindrospermopsins, saxitoxins, anabaenopeptins, and nodularin. Concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Algal toxins are a growing concern worldwide. Rapid assessment test strips are a newer technology and their accuracy in detecting toxins in different lakes with different phytoplankton and toxins present is unknown. This data release is supported by our testing of toxin test strips. This research took place in Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota. The research will indicate whether these test strips are accurate for this system, and hopefully lay the foundation for a cost-effective harmful algal blooms (HABs) monitoring and communication tool for Voyageurs National Park and other parks. The utility of the test strips in this system may lead to broader applications, for instance in other inland systems like the nearby Lake of the Woods and Isle Royale National Park or other northern temperate lakes.

This dataset is comprised of cyanotoxin concentrations in extracts from solid phase adsorption toxin tracking (SPATT) samplers deployed at fixed sampling stations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, beginning in 2020. SPATT samplers are a form of passive sampler constructed of adsorbent resin beads that concentrate cyanotoxins over time. Cyanotoxin congeners were measured from SPATT extracts within the cyanotoxin classes: microcystins, anatoxins, cylindrospermopsins, saxitoxins, anabaenopeptins, and nodularin. Concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), with some samples also measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

In cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured cyanobacterial toxin concentrations (i.e., microcystin, anatoxin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin) and collected water-quality field data at 18 sites in North-central Tennessee from August 2022 to November 2024. Additionally, selected sites also were sampled once for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to confirm the presence of toxin producing DNA at the monitoring sites. The goal for the sample data was to better understand the occurrence and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in various freshwater reservoir types in North-central Tennessee. Sample collection was primarily during the growing season, when harmful algal blooms (HABs) are known to be most active. This data release documents the sites, toxin concentrations, water-quality data, and eDNA data produced from the study.

Multiple linear regression models were developed using data collected in 2016 and 2017 from three recurring bloom sites in Kabetogama Lake in northern Minnesota. These models were developed to predict concentrations of cyanotoxins (anatoxin-a, microcystin, and saxitoxin) that occur within the blooms. Virtual Beach software (version 3.0.6) was used to develop four models: two cyanotoxin mixture (MIX) models and two microcystin (MC) models. Models include those using readily available environmental variables (for example, wind speed and specific conductance) and those using additional comprehensive variables (based on laboratory analyses). Many of the independent variables were averages over a certain time period prior to a sample date, whereas other independent variables were lagged between 4 and 8 days. Funding for this work was provided by the U.S Geological Survey – National Park Service Partnership and the U.S. Geological Survey Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substance Hydrology and Contaminant Biology). The resulting model equations and final datasets are included in this data release while an associated child item model archive includes all the files needed to run and develop these VB models.

This data release contains cyanotoxin concentrations for microcystins, cylindrospermopsins, anatoxins, and saxitoxins assessed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) on 363 samples collected from 82 surface-water sites located in the Cascade Range in Oregon, and eight sites located outside of the Oregon Cascade Range in Washington and California, during 2016-2020. Three sample types were assessed: 1) benthic colonies and mats of cyanobacteria (n=109), 2) plankton net tows (n=90), and 3) Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking samplers (SPATTs)(n=164).