Blue-green algae - Making water dangerous

Abstract

I n South Africa, we are highly dependent on surface water (rivers and dams) for our daily water supply. Pollution of these water bodies can have serious effects, such as eutrophication and the presence of algal blooms. Nutrient enrichment (eutrophication) remains one of the leading causes of water quality impairment in the world. Agricultural and urban runoff, municipal and industrial wastewater effluents, and septic tank leach fields all contribute plant nutrients (such as phosphorus and nitrogen compounds) as well as other pollutions which eventually end up in our rivers and dams. Water bodies that are eutrophic experience an increase in algae, especially cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) are organisms with some characteristics of bacteria and some of algae. They are natural inhabitants of many inland waters, estuaries and the sea. A mass of cyanobacteria in a body of water is called a bloom. When you see a bloom of cyanobacteria in water, it will often appear blue-green (hence the common name).

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