Aquatic

FlowCam for Water Quality Monitoring and Drinking Water Analysis

Discover a high-throughput, automated alternative to manual microscopy.

FlowCam offers a cost-effective and rapid solution to monitor source water, oceans, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and water treatment processes for drinking water, wastewater, and recreational activities.

Municipal water utilities monitor Cyanobacteria and other algae to prevent harmful algal blooms (HABs), taste and odor events, as well as filter clogging organisms.

Use FlowCam to:

  • Analyze particles sizes 2 µm to 1 mm
  • Identify, count, and measure phytoplankton
  • Process a 1 mL sample in less than 6 minutes
  • Perform image analysis to determine morphological parameters such as biovolume, coloration, shape, and size to classify taxa.

Helpful Resources

The Ultimate Guide to Flow Imaging Microscopy for Aquatic Life Sciences
Ebook
The Ultimate Guide to Flow Imaging Microscopy for Aquatic Life Sciences
FlowCam for Aquatic Research and Water Quality Monitoring
Video
FlowCam for Aquatic Research and Water Quality Monitoring
“My lab has been a FlowCam user since buying our unit back in 2013. It has served us well in monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms here in Alberta Canada, and reporting our results to provincial health advisory agencies in a timely manner. A very reliable instrument surprisingly requiring minimal maintenance!”
Rolf Vinebrooke Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Alberta

Check out the FlowCam plankton image galleries

Applications scientist monitors water quality by sampling with plankton net in Colorado

Monitor water quality by testing water samples for Cyanobacteria using FlowCam

FlowCam particle collage of cyanobacteria - including microcystis, dolichospermum, lyngbya

A water sample analyzed on FlowCam, containing cyanotoxin and taste-and-odor producers: Microcystis, Dolichospermum (Anabaena), and Lyngbya

Freshwater harmful algal bloom seen from above

A freshwater harmful algal bloom. Regular monitoring with FlowCam allows for treatment while contamination levels are barely detectable.

FlowCam Cyano instrument with monitor, showing enlarged images of cyanobacteria

FlowCam Cyano: for automatic differentiation of Cyanobacteria from other algae.

FlowCam for Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring

Classify Cyanobacteria and monitor both marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms (HABs). Differentiate and quantify organisms capable of producing cyanotoxins to enable early treatment of water sources.

FlowCam Cyano and FlowCam 8400 combine flow imaging microscopy with flow cytometry to differentiate Cyanobacteria from other aquatic organisms and detritus.

  • Identify and enumerate HAB organisms, including Cyanobacteria, diatoms, dinoflagellates
  • Forecast HAB events
  • Count cells in colonies and filaments
  • Analyze population dynamics

Additional Resources

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