SOLVING THE PROBLEM
As previously discussed, red tide has become a problem that has affected in several ways: the marine ecosystem, the public health of the surrounding people, and the economy. That being the case, red tide has only been researched in trying to understand why algae bloom form and we’ve recently seen over the most recent years solutions in the mitigation of red tide. This report we will review some of the innovative solutions that should be considered as a solution for red tide.
Photo #1 is the two ozone treatment systems that are being tested in Boca Raton canal processing 300 gallons per minute (Fears, Darryl, et al.). Photo #2 is a model of how the project was tested in pumping water from the bottom of the water and raising it to the surface with Cochlodinium polykrikoides (red tide-producing marine dinoflagellates(algae)) in fish cages (Eun Seob Cho, et al.). Photo #3 is a photo of living dock which a structure attached with filter feeding organisms which are being tested to remove red tide (RUTGER).
OZONE TREATMENT SYSTEM
At Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, a newly patented device called the Ozone Treatment system has been tested and used to destroy red tide algae and their toxins in limited/small areas. It was first used by Mote in reducing red tide in their water tanks entering Mote Aquarium by “[getting] rid of the toxins, [and getting] rid of the excess organic matter that`s decomposing”(CBS Evening News). The Ozone Treatment System works in a process: “processes 300 gallons of water per minute [,] breaks down toxin-infested water, injects it with ozone and then pumps out clean water”(CBS Evening News). The Ozone Treatment System has been tested in 25,000-gallon mesocosm, or outdoor experimental system controlled, pool at Mote’s Sarasota campus where Cynthia Heil, Director of Mote Red Tide Institute Mitigation Research Program Manager, has shown in her research (Cynthia Heil, Slide 12). The system has been tested in a canal in Boca Grande, Florida where Mote said at a news conference, “the technology merits future testing to determine its effectiveness at commercial scale”(Kettle, Stephannie).
UNDERWATER PUMPING
Furthermore, another technological solution has been made in the past that could work against red tide. In Korea, according to Eun Seob Cho et al., studies have been conducted where cold water from the bottom of the sea would be pumped to the surface of the water and changing the temperature of the water causing red tide to go down. In Eun Seob Cho et al. research explains, “after 30 min began to move bottom waters to the surface regardless of stations … [and] 30 min from our current results is also beginning to decrease the number of total phytoplankton and the amount of Chl-a”(Eun Seob Cho et al.). These types of cells we’ve seen change significantly being sensitive to temperature where in cold water there is low phytoplankton and major removal is accomplished. In addition, during the summer of 2009, massive blooms of C. polykrikoides did not occur in the southern coastal waters including the sampling site and in eastern and western waters in Korea” (Eun Seob Cho et al.). This could be a solution to red tide since temperature is one of the factors in red tide in cells growing out of control.
OTHER SOLUTIONS
There have been other solutions that are being tested against the red tide. According to Mote, “ Living dock structures covered with filter-feeding animals that remove red tide from limited areas of water such as canals and small embayment’s”(RUTGER, HAYLEY). Another is “Concentrating naturally produced compounds from certain macro-algae (seaweeds) to be used to fight red tide blooms in the wild, considering that we know that these compounds can kill red tide in the lab”(RUTGER, HAYLEY). Another solution could be the “Use of algae in the Amoebophrya genus (the same broader group as Karenia, the dinoflagellates) to serve as a natural control parasite for K. brevis red tide blooms”(RUTGER, HAYLEY). Although these sound like great solutions these are still under investigation and analysis have not been shown of the results.