Harmful algal blooms (HABs) present a growing challenge for water resource managers, ecosystems, and communities. Identifying algae, particularly blue-green algae or cyanobacteria, is crucial to understanding these blooms. Fueled by excess nutrients and changing environmental conditions, these HABs are dominated by cyanobacterial strains—microorganisms capable of producing toxins that jeopardize water safety and public health.
Tools like FlowCam are integral to advancing cyanobacteria research. FlowCam is helping researchers and water managers develop effective strategies to mitigate HABs by enabling rapid identification, monitoring, and analysis.

Why Focus on Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are diverse photosynthetic bacteria, including filamentous cyanobacteria and strains like Microcystis, found in water bodies worldwide. Despite their ecological role in oxygen production and nitrogen fixation, certain cyanobacteria species can form HABs under "ideal" conditions, such as elevated temperatures, excess nutrient content in the water column, and specific light intensity.

HABs pose significant risks due to:

• Toxin Production: Many cyanobacteria species produce toxins. Microcystis aeruginosa, for example, can produce microcystins, anatoxins, and cylindrospermopsins, affecting liver, neurological, and kidney functions in humans and animals.
  
  
• Taste and Odor Compounds (T&O): Even non-toxic blooms can degrade water quality by producing geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), which cause unpleasant tastes and odors in drinking water.
  
  
• Ecological Disruption: By outcompeting other organisms for light and nutrients, cyanobacteria blooms reduce biodiversity, disrupt aquatic food webs, and cause oxygen depletion, which in turn leads to fish kills.
  
  
• Monitoring cyanobacteria populations is critical for early detection and response, preventing costly damage to ecosystems and water infrastructure.

Harnessing Flow Imaging Microscopy for Detection

FlowCam Cyano exemplifies how flow imaging microscopy (FIM) addresses the need for efficient cyanobacteria monitoring and algae identification. Traditional microscopy methods are labor-intensive and require significant expertise, whereas FlowCam streamlines this process with cutting-edge features:

1. Rapid Sample Processing: The FlowCam processes water samples in under 10 minutes, making it an ideal tool for real-time monitoring. This rapid turnaround enables timely decisions, especially when bloom conditions emerge.
   
   
2. Pigment-Based Sorting: Using fluorescence excitation, FlowCam automatically differentiates cyanobacteria from diatoms, green algae, and other particles. The instrument ensures accurate classification by targeting phycocyanin and chlorophyll a; key pigments in cyanobacteria.
   
   
3. High-Resolution Imaging: Each sample is imaged in high detail, capturing morphological characteristics crucial for identifying bloom-forming species. Researchers can use these images to establish bloom dynamics and identify toxin producers.

These capabilities make FlowCam a versatile tool for water utilities, researchers, and environmental agencies. It saves time and resources while improving data accuracy.

Building Early Warning Systems

Effective HAB management hinges on early detection, allowing stakeholders to intervene before blooms escalate. Research into early warning systems leverages advanced tools and data collection methods to predict and mitigate HAB risks. Core elements include:

• Monitoring Dissolved Oxygen (DO): Cyanobacteria can significantly affect DO levels. Their high growth rates can lead to drastic fluctuations in dissolved oxygen. During blooms, oxygen levels often spike during photosynthesis and plummet during respiration, creating hypoxic zones detrimental to aquatic life.
  
  
• Phycocyanin and Chlorophyll a Concentrations: These pigments are reliable biomarkers for cyanobacteria abundance. High concentrations can signal the onset of a bloom, prompting further investigation.
  
  
• Molecular Tools (qPCR): Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) identifies genes responsible for toxin production, such as mcy (microcystin synthesis) or anatoxin-a synthetase genes. This approach provides early confirmation of the bloom’s toxicity potential. Molecular biology techniques, such as qPCR, also assist in determining amino acid synthesis pathways produced by cyanobacteria.
  
  Incorporating the FlowCam into such frameworks enhances their efficacy. It allows continuous, automated monitoring and reduces reliance on manual sampling.

Bridging Science and Water Management

Cyanobacteria research doesn’t end in laboratories; its insights shape practical water management strategies. One notable success story is the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, where water managers used FlowCam to build an advanced cyanobacteria monitoring program that includes molecular biology approaches and monitoring of fixed nitrogen levels. This approach yielded several benefits:

• Cost Savings: By detecting blooms early, the city reduced the need for expensive chemical treatments.
  
  
• Improved Water Quality: Continuous monitoring allowed for more precise interventions, ensuring that drinking water met safety and taste standards.
  
  
• Public Trust: Transparent monitoring practices reassured the community about the safety of their water supply.

Future Perspectives

As cyanobacteria research evolves, so do the tools used to combat HABs. FIM, molecular biology, and water quality monitoring innovations promise even greater efficiency and accuracy. Researchers also study light intensity, fixed nitrogen availability, and the behavior of cyanobacteria, including Microcystis, to improve management techniques. Yokagawa Fluid Imaging’s FlowCam Cyano remains a cornerstone in these efforts, continuously improving detection and analysis capabilities.

By investing in technologies like FlowCam, water managers and researchers can foster sustainable aquatic ecosystems and protect public health. These advancements reaffirm our commitment to a balanced coexistence with nature, where science and technology collaborate to address pressing environmental challenges.

Many water utilities use FlowCam for algae monitoring and to proactively avoid issues.
Watch a recent webinar by Hunter Adams, Water Quality Supervisor at the City of Wichita Falls Cypress Environmental Laboratory.

HAB Monitoring and Particle Characterization in a Municipal Environmental Laboratory

Watch the Webinar

Learn more about how the FlowCam Cyano can support your HAB monitoring needs. Contact us today for expert advice and tailored solutions to protect your water resources.