Lake Erie creates ‘forbidden soup’ of potential toxins

Municipalities and federal agencies monitor US waters for microcystins, a toxin produced by harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, but a new study shows that the blooms produce a greater range of potentially toxic compounds than previously known.

The researchers found that these compounds, called bioactive cyanopeptides, may overlap and interact with each other in ways that amplify their toxicity throughout the season.<...