ABSTRACT
Throughout their lifespan, humans are exposed to many chemical substances, both beneficial and harmful. It is not possible to eliminate exposure to all toxins in our environment. Of the harmful chemicals, some are anthropogenic and others occur naturally. Although cyanotoxins occur naturally, their pres ence and abundance are, to a large extent, influenced and increased by human action. The extent to which cyanotoxins pose a human health risk depends on human exposure to these toxins. Reducing human exposure to cyanotoxins may be achieved either through preventing the occurrence of hazardous cell densities of toxic cyanobacteria, or by placing barriers (such as drinking water treatment or bathing restrictions) that would reduce human exposure to the cyanobacterial hazard.
