The upgraded Flowcam provides water quality professionals with a proactive, preventative approach to cyanobacteria management that renders bulk fluorometers virtually obsolete
Now dangerous blue-green algae can be treated before it can bloom.
The Flowcam cell and particle imaging and analysis system from water quality instrumentation manufacturer Fluid Imaging Technologies, boasts a new breakthrough, patent pending feature that automatically detects the presence of cyanobacteria in water, takes hi-res, full colour digital images of each individual cell, differentiates the cells from harmless, non-toxic species of algae and saves the images and measurement data for analysis.
Ideal for continuous use monitoring reservoirs, lakes, rivers and other source water and recreational locations in situ, as well as with discrete samples, the enhanced Flowcam provides images and data in real time to constantly track the growth of cyanobacteria, sound an alert at its presence and permit treatment before it can bloom and release its harmful, sometimes lethal, toxins into the water.
In addition to causing a range of adverse health effects, these cyanotoxins also cause troublesome taste and odour problems as well as discoloration of the water.
The Flowcam accurately detects cyanobacteria with the presence of a single cell sampled whereas the bulk fluorometers commonly used require samples with a high concentration upwards of hundreds of cells/ml, which typically indicates a bloom already in progress.
The automated Flowcam also replaces manual, labour-intensive sampling and microscopy with a far faster approach that yields highly accurate data without the risk of human error in identification, counting, measuring and documentation.
