Scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota say they have come up with something to fight Florida’s toxic red tide. Called an Ozone Treatment System, the new device processes 300 gallons of water a minute, breaking down toxin-infested water, injecting it with ozone and then pumping out clean water. At this point, with a state of emergency in seven counties and dead fish and marine life washing up on beaches and in marinas in southwest Florida, any solution offering hope to boaters, residents and the tourist industry seems too good to be true.
Basically, the system kills high concentrations of red tide in smaller areas, such as canals. It’s being tested in a canal littered with dead fish in Boca Grande. Scientists from Mote monitor the water for temperature, nutrients, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity. They also make sure it kills the toxic algae without harming marine life. And they think it’s working. “This system gets rid of the red tide, gets rid of the toxins, gets rid of the excess organic matter that’s decomposing,” said Dr. Richard Pierce, a senior scientist at Mote.
The system is still in the research stage and is not intended for large bodies of water, such as the Gulf of Mexico. Mote is an independent research institution which has studied the red tide in Florida for decades in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Read more:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mote-marine-laboratory-ozone-treatment-system-red-tide-florida/
