Poisonous algae linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease
- Toxic water in Britain's lakes may contain bacteria linked to Alzheimer's
- Scientists fear huge increases in algae pose a threat to our drinking water
- The plant contains toxins that can damage the liver and nervous system
- It has been linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease
Scientists fear the increase has been driven by pollution from industrial sites and sewers that pump nitrogen and phosphorus into the lakes, which the algae thrives on.
The first signs of exposure to the harmful algae are skin rash or irritation, gastroenteritis and respiratory distress.
Exposure to low doses of the algae can result in liver tumours or hormone disruption.
Zofia Taranu from McGill University said: 'We found that cyanobacterial populations have expanded really strongly in many lakes since the advent of industrial fertilisers and rapid urban growth.
'While we already knew that cyanobacteria prefer warm and nutrient-rich conditions, our study is also the first to show that the effect of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, overwhelm those of global warming.'
There have been some 150 reported sightings of the algae in Britain's waterways in a year, and in 2013 it covered the lake in St James' Park opposite Buckingham Palace.
Algae blooms can cut off fish's oxygen supply and dozens of dogs are put down every year for ingesting it.
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