Water/Wastewater

ALGAE and BIOFILM Chemical-free Control and Treatment Solution

Jun 29 2011

Author: Lisa Brand

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Algae are a large and diverse group of photoautotrophic organisms. They are single celled, colonial or macrophytic organisms, containing chlorophyll a, have simple reproductive structures, and no differentiated true roots, stems or leaves. The green algae are primitive members of kingdom Plantae, though other types of algae are classified outside the kingdom entirely. It is believed that land plants evolved from green algae about 500 million years ago, with fossil records for certain species dating back to approximately 3 billion years.

Wherever water is being stored, there is a risk of algae problems occurring. Algae growth is often a result of eutrophication, the build up of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water due to pollution, intensive agriculture and lack of maintenance to the water body. When water is stagnant and has a relatively high temperature the chances for algae blooms become even higher. These blooms may have deleterious effects on the area of water in question, such as floating scum layers, shading of submerged aquatic plants, oxygen depletion, alteration of food webs, suffocation of fish from mucus production and gill interference and even the production of toxins leading to diseases and even death in aquatic animals, livestock and sometimes even humans.

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