The Regional Science Consortium laboratory, located at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, has been dedicated to monitoring, analyzing, and educating people about harmful algal blooms (HABs) and the cyanotoxins they produce along the Lake Erie shoreline and Presque Isle Bay since 2014.
The RSC team has found that many people don’t have a clear understanding of HABs and their potential harmful impacts, so they applied for and were awarded a DEP Environmental Education Grant to create a mobile “HAB Lab.”
This colorful outreach and education exhibit on wheels travels not only in the Erie area but also throughout western Pennsylvania to educate the public on HABs.
HABs happen when the water is warm, stagnant, and full of nutrients. Blooms usually occur during the summer and fall, but can occur any time of the year. When they produce toxins, these blooms can become dangerous. Humans, dogs and other pets, livestock, and wildlife can experience sickness, paralysis, or even death if they touch or ingest HAB toxins.
The RSC team collects weekly water samples in many locations and analyzes them for HABs. When cyanotoxin concentrations are high, beach and shoreline managers post signage warning of concerns for dogs and/or humans.
(Reprinted from the latest DEP Teaching Green newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
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[Posted: March 10, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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