Cyanobacteria blooms in water: Italian guidelines to assess and manage the risk associated to bathing and recreational activities

- Cyanobacteria are increasingly spreading in Italian lakes used as bathing water.
- They produce cyanotoxins, with different toxicological profiles.
- Health effects associated to cyanobacteria blooms and recreational activities occur.
- A risk-based approach is applied to Italian guidelines for bathing waters.
- The same approach can be used in other Countries, adapted to their specificities.

Cyanobacteria thrive in many aquatic environments, where they can produce cyanotoxins with different toxicological profile. Anthropic pressure and climate changes are causing the expansion in terms of time and space of their blooms, increasing the concerns for human health in several exposure scenarios. Here the update of the Italian guidelines for the management of cyanobacterial blooms in bathing water is presented. A risk-based approach has been developed according to the current scientific knowledge on cyanobacteria distribution in the Italian Lakes and on chemical, toxicological and epidemiological aspects of different cyanotoxins, summarized in the first part of the paper. Oral, dermal and inhalation exposure to cyanotoxins, during recreational activities, are individually examined, to develop a framework of thresholds and actions aimed at preventing harmful effects for bathers. Guidelines, also by comparing international guidance values and/or guidelines, provide criteria to plan environmental monitoring activities, health surveillance and public communication systems. Finally the still important scientific gaps and research needs are highlighted.

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