Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Purchases Fluid Imaging Technologies FlowCAM® for Algal Monitoring of Drinking Water Sources.
Fluid Imaging Technologies, Inc. of Edgecomb, ME, today announced that MWRA has purchased a Portable FlowCAM Model VS IV for monitoring algae levels within its drinking water supply sources. The MWRA supplies drinking water and services (including wastewater treatment) to the city of Boston, MA and 61 surrounding communities for a total of approximately 890,000 households and 5,500 large industrial users.
MWRA will use the FlowCAM to continuously monitor water sources for algal blooms. Algal blooms can cause problems with the water supply, ranging from annoying taste and odor problems, to severe examples such as fish kills which can spawn health issues. The most graphic example of a harmful algae bloom problem is the current red tide algae bloom affecting New England’s ocean waters, which has essentially closed down all shellfish beds in the New England area.
Most water is currently monitored for the presence of algae by viewing samples through a microscope and “hand-counting” the cells. This is extremely time consuming, and usually can not detect a trend in algal bloom until the problem has already become relatively severe, requiring immediate treatment. By using the FlowCAM, MWRA will be able to continuously and automatically monitor algae levels, spot trends, and be able to proactively treat the water before the bloom gets out of control and affects the customer.
A unique capability of FlowCAM is its ability to detect and image cells in water which fluoresce under laser light, such as algae. Since algae is very sparsely distributed in the water, a relatively large volume of sample needs to be processed to get a statistically valid count of algae cells. FlowCAM automates this process using its “fluorescence triggered” imaging mode, only capturing organisms in the water which fluoresce, such as algae species. MWRA will use this capability extensively to continuously monitor water sources. MWRA has chosen a Portable FlowCAM model, which can be taken out in the field and powered by a car battery, so that on-site measurements can be made right at the source.
The FlowCAM is an instrument for fluid particle analysis (such as cells and microorganisms) which combines the capabilities of a particle analyzer with a high resolution digital imaging microscope. Fluid Imaging will be demonstrating a FlowCAM Benchtop II Model at the AWWA conference, Booth 2724.
For more information, contact Lew Brown, Fluid Imaging Technologies, Inc.; 65 Forest Falls Drive, Yarmouth, ME 04096; 207.846.6100.; Fax 207.846.6110;
www.fluidimaging.com;
lew@fluidimaging.com.