BMAA-Producing Cyanobacteria and Fish Contamination in Italy: An Emerging One Health Concern

Abstract

β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), a non-proteinogenic amino acid produced by various cyanobacteria, has emerged as a significant concern in the context of the One Health framework due to its neurotoxic effects and potential ecological and public health implications. Cyanobacteria, found ubiquitously in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments, can contaminate water sources and food chains with different toxins, including BMAA, which can produce a sinergic action with other environmental neurotoxic contaminants (such as Methylmercury) and other cyanotoxins, such as Microcystins. Human exposure occurs primarily through the consumption of contaminated drinking water and aquatic food products. BMAA accumulation in neural tissues has been linked to the degeneration of motor neurons and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, mimicking pathological features observed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease. This exposure is associated with a spectrum of symptoms, collectively termed ALS/parkinsonism dementia complex (ALS/PDC), characterized by progressive muscular paralysis, rigidity, cognitive decline, and ultimately, fatal outcomes. The increasing prevalence of cyanobacteria blooms, driven by climate change and anthropogenic factors, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive research into BMAA toxicity, environmental monitoring, and mitigation strategies. This work shows BMAA contamination data of fish fauna living in several Italian lakes affected by recurrent cyanobacterial blooms, quantified by Elisa Assay. It also explores the emerging issue of BMAA contamination from a One Health perspective, highlighting its multifaceted impact on ecosystems, animal health, and human well-being.

Keywords

BMAA / Neurotoxic / Cyanobacterial blooms / Bioaccumulation

Statement of the Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process

During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used ChatGPT in order to improve the use of English language. After using this tool/service, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the published article.

Author Contributions

All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Ethics Statement

The use of publicly available data does not fall under the scope of human subject research requiring ethical approval.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are included within the article. Additional data related to environmental monitoring and analytical measurements are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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