Toxic Algae Threatens Florida's Gulf Coast

As reported by Discovery News, After Toledo had to temporarily ban residents from using tap water last weekend because of a toxic algae bloom on Lake Erie, you probably figured that we’d filled the quota of bad algae-related news for the summer. No such luck, unfortunately. Off the Gulf Coast of Florida, the biggest red tide bloom seen in Florida in nearly a decade already has killed thousands of fish. The bloom, which contains the microorganism Karenia brevis, may pose a public health threat to Floridians if it washes ashore, which is expected to happen in the next two weeks, according to Reuters. NBC News says this is the largest such bloom seen since 2006 — approximately 50 x 80 miles.

Comments

Phosphates

[Anonymous Coward]

Let's not forget phosphate mines, or leaks: e.g., Piney Point, Jeb Bush & Friends

http://www.thebradentontimes.com/news/2011/06/22/environment/piney_point_1966_2011_a_retrospective/#.U-gRnviGTgA

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/huge-red-tide-algae-bloom-could-move-ashore-florida-n175506

Re:Filter in / Filter Out

[rmdingler]

You can not economically filter out things dissolved in water... reverse osmosis comes to mind and I suspect there are other methods involving distillation.

It goes to scale.

The one that measures influence.