(Falmouth, MA) – McLane Research Laboratories recently had the honor of providing testimony to the US Senate on emerging technologies that detect and mitigate Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS).
On August 28, Director of Special Projects Ivory Engstrom spoke to the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard in Washington at a hearing on HABS. Engstrom’s testimony focused on technological developments that improve HABS detection and identification such as the McLane Imaging FlowCytobot (IFCB) and Environmental Sample Processor (ESP).
Also testifying was Dr. Donald Anderson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), who spoke about the “national problem” that the increasing frequency and intensity of harmful algal blooms pose.
The IFCB is a smart underwater microscope tuned for phytoplankton. Uses include phytoplankton ecology research, harmful algal bloom detection, water quality characterization, and aquaculture monitoring.
The ESP provides in situ collection and analysis of water samples from the subsurface ocean. The instrument collects discrete water samples, concentrate microorganisms or particles, and automates the application of molecular probes in order to identify microorganisms and their gene products.
McLane’s testimony begins at 25:45 (see below).
Learn more about the IFCB, ESP and other McLane instruments.