Toxic Blooms Begone New tech exclusive to TSU to treat harmful algal

By DR. TOM BYL

The wetland located at TSU’s Agricultural Research and Education Center has been a research and educational resource for students in environmental science, biology, engineering, and chemistry for 20 years.

The wetland is a vital urban oasis for wildlife and helps clean storm water runoff. Unfortunately, over the past five years the wetland has been plagued by harmful algal blooms called HABs that can produce toxins harmful to people and animals.

The HABs evolve due to excessive nutrients, warm shallow waters, and long residence times. This increase in HABs is not unusual. Every state in the U.S. has reported an increase in HABs and it is thought climate change and human activity play a role in this increase.

The HABs are caused by algae, primarily cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae), that grow out of control and take over a lake, river, or wetland. This excessive algae growth is called a bloom.

Unfortunately, several of the cyanobacteria produce different toxins. These toxins can range from skin rashes, liver toxins, and even neurological

Professor Dr. Tom Byl speaks with a class about the ecology of the wetland during a fall morning. Photo courtesy of Dr. Tom Byl

Excessive algae growth on the wetland. This growth can be toxic to mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and humans. The close proximity of the algae cells make it easy for Baccillus bacteria to consume them. Photo courtesy of Dr. Tom Byl

EnBiorganic engineer Bob Dumur sets the parameters on the pumps and incubators as TSU master’s student Faith Perry watches. Photo courtesy of Dr. Tom Byl

toxins. Reports of cattle or dogs dying due to drinking waters with algal toxins become common. Thus it has become a top priority in water-quality research.

Tennessee is a water-rich state with many rivers, reservoirs and farm ponds vulnerable to HABs. The State of Tennessee organized a HAB working group made up of scientists and water quality experts to address this issue. The group is led by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), with members coming from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA), the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Tennessee State University (TSU), Tennessee Technical University (TTU), Middle Tennessee

EnBiorganic Engineer Bob Dumur (left) shows Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, how the pumps, incubators, and monitoring system work to control harmful algal blooms in the wetland at the Agricultural Research and Education Center. Photo by Joan Kite