Detection and Surveillance of Harmful Algal Bloom Species and Toxins

Abstract

The ability to mitigate the adverse impacts of harmful algal blooms (HAB) on humans, wildlife, fisheries, and ecosystems, as well as to identify the environmental factors driving HAB population growth and toxicity, is based largely on early detection of causative organisms and their toxins. This chapter explores a wide range of organism and toxin detection methods and technologies. It describes the fundamental principles of operation/conduct. It outlines the prospects for future advances in bloom and toxin detection/surveillance capabilities. Molecular methods used to detect organisms are potentially faster and more accurate than light microscopy (LM) methods. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and polyclonal antibodies have been used to detect cultured and field‐collected cells of a wide variety of harmful algae. Immunoassays are based on antibodies recognizing and binding to one or more epitopes or antigenic determinants on a toxin molecule. The Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay, ELISA has been the format of choice for most commercial algal toxin detection kits.