Abstract
This chapter is an introduction to the cyanobacterial (blue-green algae) ecology, with the main aim of better understanding the design of cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins in the natural environments. Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of photoautotrophic organisms where their dominance represents a significant indicator of water quality. Several genera have the potential to produce toxins—hepatotoxins (microcystins, nodularins), cytotoxins (cylindrospermopsin), neurotoxins (saxitoxins, anatoxins, BMAA), dermatotoxins (lyngbyatoxin), and irritant toxins (lipopolysaccharide endotoxins). This chapter provides a concise and achievable summary of their negative impact on health and the environment, supplemented with tables and schemes that illustrate the ecology of cyanobacteria, the different types of cyanotoxins, and their health issues. The exposure routes are also discussed, which is particularly important due to the increasing eutrophication of water. It is emphasized that climate change, global warming, and increased eutrophication are responsible for cyanobacterial blooms. As a consequence, the risk they pose is likely to grow; accompanied by their ability to produce toxins, cyanobacteria represent an imminent danger to human and animal health. One of the primary goals of future research should be to share knowledge about cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins and to develop solutions for early detection and prevention of cyanobacterial bloom occurrence.