Alia Glinski, “The Toxin Levels in Various Types of Water”
Mentor: Todd Miller, Freshwater Sciences

Measuring water quality is critical to identifying safe sources of water, both for drinking water and recreational uses. The concentration of various hepatotoxins and neurotoxins in algae is an important factor in water quality, as highly toxic algae can render a body of water useless to humans. We obtain water samples from lakes and rivers and isolate algae that accumulate these toxins. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoassay) techniques are used to isolate the toxins which are measured with a photometer at 460nm, with samples having high absorbance having higher toxin concentrations. The absorbance is compared to known samples to determine toxin concentrations. We can then compare the relative amounts of toxins in these water sources. Identification of water with high levels of toxins can direct resources towards environmental clean up where they can be most beneficial. Additionally, areas with high toxin levels can be identified for the safety of humans and other animals.