Cyanobacteria have the potential to produce harmful toxins which can cause adverse health effects in humans and animals. Monitoring tools are needed to assess environmental conditions and stop blooms in their nascent stages. This workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to algae HAB monitoring, from the reservoir to the lab. Participants will gain practical skills in the use of three early-detection HAB screening systems that provide different and complementary information: an online multi-parameter measuring & reporting system, an automated microscopic identification tool and a quantitative PCR assay. The workshop will begin with introductions and a brief PowerPoint overview of each technology. Next, we’ll turn to the instruments and run one sample on each so that attendees can compare the information provided by each method.

All are welcome to participate and please notify Greg Ford, gford@phytoxigene.com, of your intention to participate.

We will discuss the implications of variables like sampling methodology, preservation, location, and settings on FlowCam imagery and data. We will use the instruments software to identify dominant organisms in the sample. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions regarding the technology’s benefits and limitations. Throughout the workshop, we’ll point out similarities and differences between flow-through imaging and traditional microscopy, as well as basic plankton identification using semi-automated techniques.

Using the same technology for testing for Covid, workshop attendees will learn how to run a quantitative PCR test. The Phytoxigene™ CyanoDTec is a molecular (DNA) based technology (Real Time PCR) that detects and quantifies the presence of Cyanobacteria, blue green algae, and their toxin producing genes in aquatic environments. Not all Cyanobacteria species produce toxins, therefore the presence of an algal bloom does not immediately defer a risk of toxins being present. The Phytoxigene™ test quantitates both the amount of overall Cyanobacteria present in a water sample along with the number of genes that are responsible for the production of the toxins, including microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxin, anatoxin* and guanotoxin* (*new assay in 2023)

We’ll conclude by summarizing takeaways from the workshop and, if time allows, play an interactive game incorporating FlowCam and Phytoxigene images and data to test participants’ knowledge.

Presenters

Polly Barrowman is the Water Markets Manager at Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies. She works closely with freshwater researchers and drinking water utilities worldwide, helping them to implement FlowCam technology into their phytoplankton research and monitoring programs.

Greg Ford is the Director of Development for Phytoxigene working with customers in Canada and the USA in this capacity since 2016. He started in the field of Aquatic Toxicology before working in biotech and diagnostics before joining Phytoxigene.

Lead Organizer: Greg Ford, Phytoxigene (gford@phytoxigene.com)

Co-organizers:

Polly Barrowman, Yokagawa Fluid Imaging Technologies (polly.barrowman@fluidimaging.com)