Table 4.
Numerical limits for cyanotoxins in drinking water based on varying critical studies and toxic endpoints discussed in this report.
| Toxin | Microcystins | Cylindrospermopsins | Saxitoxins | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source | c WHO | d EPA (U.S. and Canada) | This Report | This Report | EPA (U.S. and Canada) | This Report | This Report | ||
| Critical study | Fawell et al. 1999 | Heinze 1999 | Li et al. 2015 | Chen et al. 2011 | Humpage and Falconer 2002, 2003 | Humpage and Falconer 2002, 2003 | e CONTAM | ||
| a LOAEL/NOAEL (µg/kg/day) | 40 | 50 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 30 | 0.5 | ||
| End point | Liver Toxicity | Liver Toxicity | Central Nervous System Toxicity | Male Reproductive Toxicity | Kidney Toxicity | Kidney Toxicity | Peripheral Nervous System Toxicity | ||
| b Age of Exposed | Adult | <6 years | >6 years | <6 years | <6 years | <6 years | >6 years | <6 years | <6 years |
| DWI/BW/day (L/kg/d) | 0.03 | 0.15 | 0.03 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 |
| Uncertainty Factor | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 300 | 300 | 1000 | 3 |
| Guideline Value (µg/kg) | 0.96 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.7 | 3 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
a LOAEL/NOAEL: lowest or no observed adverse effect level, b DWI and BW: Drinking Water Ingestion and Body Weight, c WHO: World Health Organization, d EPA: Environmental Protection Agency, e CONTAM: Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain.