I SEE ALGAE EVERYWHERE
Have you ever said this about your water body? You should have at least once. Because it is everywhere! Even the most pristine lakes have some algae. But how do you know how much is there and whether it’s too much?
Well, we at In-Situ have the answers for you. We have four new sensors that can be plugged into your existing Aqua TROLL 500 or 600 for easy biological monitoring of your water body. In our new suite of fluorometers, we have a Rhodamine WT, Chlorophyll a, Phycocyanin (BGA-PC) and Phycoerythrin (BGA-PE). The post will focus on Chlorophyll a and BGA sensors.
The In-Situ sensors are very easy to use. Simply plug them into your sonde and calibrate just like any other parameter.
There are a couple of ways you can do this. You can collect a sample from the field, analyze it for Chlorophyll a, and then, using that result, adjust your sensor calibration to match. Or you can make a solution using a spirulina powder or the applicable solution for your jurisdiction. Spike some DI water with an amount of spirulina and analyze in the lab to get the concentration. The solution will serve as a standard and will last a week or more with proper storage.
Now you may ask, why should I monitor algae concentrations? What is the benefit? Would you like to reduce staff time in the field collecting samples? How about in the lab? Sample analysis can get expensive. With our probes you can streamline your processes and improve your bottom line.
Another benefit is public perception. Residents will appreciate the ability to track the health of their water body and be able to tell when it’s a good time for water recreation or when it’s not safe due to high algae concentrations. Our probes can also be used as surrogates for nutrient loading. As nutrient concentrations increase, your algae will respond accordingly, and you will see an increase in the cell counts. Agencies will be able to better model harmful algal blooms and let the public know when they should avoid the water.
In-Situ’s new fluorometers are designed for maximum stability to deliver the accurate data you need to stay on top of algae detection. Follow the links below for more information or call us at 800-446-7488.