Mote Marine Laboratory unveils new tools in fight against red tide, algal blooms

From the lab to the field, Mote Marine Laboratory said they've been working on new ways to fight red tide. Researchers there have three new red tide mitigation tools they've been working on, and they showed them off on Wednesday. 

"It was a process. It took us four years to get here," said Dr. Dana Wetzel, a senior scientist and program manager of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Environmental Lab for Forensics. 

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After evaluating 50 different compounds, Wetzel was able to develop "Clear," which is a natural biocide that can help eliminate a harmful algal bloom like red tide.  

Pictured: Researchers testing "Clear." 

"What we were seeing in the laboratory was total mortality in less than 15 minutes," she said.

Clear makes up one of three mitigation tools ready for use on their end. 

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"Everything you see today, if we had a red tide today they’re all deployable. They’re all approved," said Dr. Michael Crosby, Mote Marine's president and CEO. 

Pictured: Researchers testing out "Extreme."

The others include "Extreme," a natural non-toxic water treatment product developed by Dr. Richard Pierce, the senior scientist for ecotoxicology and associate vice president for research with Mote Marine Laboratory and Heartland Energy Group. 

"Our product, when you spray it on the water. That smell, that bad toxic smell, is eliminated on contact. It also works great for the blue-green algae. When you spray it on the water instantly, that mat and smell is gone," said David Spiers, the senior global product manager for Heartland Energy Group. 

The other new tool is called "Ozonix," a product that creates bubbles that blast away red tide contaminants. 

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Pictured: Ozonix. 

"We take the air, the oxygen that's in the air, mix it with cavitation, which makes nano bubbles," said Steve McKenzie, the lead technician for Prescott Clean Water. 

What's next:

Crosby said researchers are now working to get these products ready for deployment when the time is right. 

"We are convinced we have the technologies, part of what we are doing now is the engineering to scale them up for large scale deployment, but it won’t be Mote’s decision to do this," he said. 

Crosby said the decision on when to use the products and where will be up to the state and federal governments. 

There are about two dozen other technologies that will eventually be ready for deployment. Once they are, Mote Marine Laboratory said they will be a game changer for those who live, work and visit Florida. 

"This is huge for the state of Florida, huge for the United States, huge for the world to be able to fight these types of toxic negative impacts to our environment, economy and quality of life," he said. 

The Source: The information in this story came from interviews with researchers and officials at Mote Marine Laboratory. 

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