Successfully Detecting and Mitigating Algal Blooms and Taste and Odor Compounds

Abstract

After receiving hundreds of complaints, the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, developed a plan for monitoring harmful algal blooms to detect and mitigate taste and odor (T&O) compounds and cyanotoxins.The plan uses sensory analysis, genuslevel or functional-group identification, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/ electron capture detector, data sondes, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction to monitor blooms for T&O issues and cyanotoxins before they become problems.When blooms are detected, mitigation efforts include source-switching, pretreatment, oxidation, and adsorption, which have eliminated customer complaints following more than 60 years of unmitigated T&O cycles.

Developing an Effective Environmental Laboratory Workforce

“…For example, an alternative test procedure may not meet the required quality assurance/quality control processes in place, but it's an opportunity to try something new without penalty. This type of attitude from upper management can drive innovation at utilities (Adams et al 2023a).…”

Flow Imaging Microscopy for Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring

“…Wichita Falls' updated monitoring strategy includes monitoring source reservoirs using sondes; sensory analysis for T&O according to method 2150 (Threshold Odor Number) and method 2170 (Flavor Profile Analysis) (Standard Methods 2023); algae/cyanobacteria identification and enumeration by FIM; T&O compound detection and quantification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; and cyanotoxin-producing gene detection by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and fluorometric planar wavelength assay (Adams et al 2023(Adams et al , 2022(Adams et al , 2021.…”

Water Quality Monitoring Using Particle Analysis

“…In 2015, an FIM unit was put into service to perform counts as well as image and enumerate algae and cyanobacteria. While the same size ranges continued to be monitored, the emphasis was to integrate the results into the harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring program (Adams et al 2022(Adams et al , 2021.…”