Testing relationship between algae outbreaks and health concerns

Water infested with blue-green algae is not safe to swim in, play in or drink because of harmful toxins. Although, far less is known about what’s in the air regarding those same algae outbreaks.

Nevertheless, one group is hoping to change that because when blue-green algae grow, health concerns follow suit.

“We are measuring the air now because we are learning that as this algae processes unveiling and it seems to be getting more and more intense every year. We want to look and catalog and address the concern of airborne toxins,” said Captain Codty Pierce, with the Calusa Waterkeeper.

That’s why the Calusa Waterkeeper and volunteers deployed ADAM, aka Aerosol Detector for Algae Monitoring. The device was placed at two sites last week for 24 hours.