The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Florida and biotechnology company Sundew have entered into a collaboration to develop natural solutions for hazardous algal blooms (HABs or red tides) based on marine microbial extracts.
As part of the collaboration, Mote will provide US$121,000 of funding to support studies in Florida under the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative.
HABs are caused by the blooming of certain microorganisms and are a global phenomenon. Karenia brevis (K. brevis), a single-celled organism belonging to the dinoflagellate taxonomic group, is the most common cause of red tide in Florida.
Red tides can cause seawater to appear red or brown and organisms such as K. brevis can produce potent neurotoxins that are harmful to the health of humans and marine life, and contaminate shellfish.
When wind and waves disrupt the cells of K. brevis, brevetoxins can be released into the air as aerosols, causing respiratory irritation or exacerbating existing respiratory conditions in individuals exposed to the airborne toxins.
The collaboration builds on initial work by Sundew, Mote, and the Bigelow Lab for Ocean Sciences (East Boothbay, Maine), demonstrating that certain marine microbial extracts are extremely effective in controlling various HAB species, including K. brevis, whilst not affecting other marine species and degrading rapidly in water to harmless components.
Funding comes from the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative, established by the Florida Legislature and signed into law in 2019. The initiative coordinates public and private research efforts to develop prevention, control, and mitigation technologies for red tide impacts on Florida's coastal environments and communities.