2-Methylisoborneol is an irregular monoterpene that, together with geosmin, is the source of most of the taste and odor outbreaks in drinking water with biological origins.
A material’s absorption spectrum is the fraction of electromagnetic radiation that it absorbs over a range of wavelengths. The absorption spectrum depends on the atomic and molecular structure, composition, and interactions within the material.
The most abundant cyanobacteria include Prochlorococcus, the predominant marine cyanobacteria; Synechococcus is also a marine species. Freshwater cyanobacteria include several species of Microcystis, Dolichospermum sp., Anabaena sp., and Aphanizomenon sp., among others.
Aerobic respiration releases chemical energy in cells to power their activities. This process relies on a series of metabolic reactions involving molecular oxygen to convert the nutrients’ chemical energy into energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and then release carbon dioxide and water as waste products. Respiration is a catabolic process that breaks large molecules into smaller ones, releasing energy by replacing the weak high-energy bonds in molecular oxygen with stronger bonds in the resulting products.
An aerosol is a suspension of fine solid and/or liquid particles suspended in the air. Aerosols can be natural, such as sea salt particles, dust, pollen, or many others, or human-made, like ammonium sulfate particles and soot from anthropogenic emissions. Aerosols are classified into two types: primary particles, which are emitted directly into the atmosphere, and secondary aerosols, which form in the air from precursor gases. Aerosol particles play a crucial role in cloud formation by acting as condensation nuclei around which cloud droplets materialize, making them key players in the climate system.
An algal bloom occurs when an algae population in an aquatic system grows rapidly, often manifested as water discoloration from the algal pigments. Algal blooms are usually caused by eutrophication, i.e., excess nutrients that are released into the water body. Algal blooms can contribute positively to or have harmful effects on the aquatic ecosystem. For example, the algae can serve as food for organisms in higher trophic levels, their high density in the upper water layer can block the sunlight, or they can secret toxins into the water.
An algaecide is a substance intended to mitigate and control harmful algae. Algaecides are often used to destroy harmful algal blooms (HABs). However, algaecides may be dangerous in large quantities but are often required to produce effective results. BlueGreen Water Technologies develops safe, effective, and environmentally friendly algaecides to mitigate HABs and restore natural ecosystems.
Aluminum sulfate is a salt with the chemical formula Al₂(SO₄)₃, mainly used as a coagulating agent for water treatment and purification.
Anabaena is a genus of nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria found in shallow waters and moist soil. Anabaena may form blooms during the summer, producing neurotoxins that endanger local animals and human health.
Anabaenopsis is a genus of filamentous cyanobacteria capable of producing microcystins that are toxic to both humans and animals.
Anaerobic respiration uses an electron acceptor other than molecular oxygen (O2). Anaerobic organisms use fewer oxidizing substances than oxygen, such as nitrate and sulfate, therefore releasing less energy per oxidized molecule. For this reason, anaerobic respiration is less efficient than aerobic respiration.
Anatoxin-A is an acute cyanotoxin, also known as the Very Fast Death Factor (VFDF), because it can be lethal within minutes to hours for numerous animals, especially cattle and dogs. Anatoxin-A is found in a number of cyanobacteria, including Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Microcystis, Planktothrix, Oscillatoria, and Cylindrospermum.
Aphanizomenon is a genus of cyanobacteria that inhabits freshwater lakes and can cause harmful blooms by producing various cyanotoxins.
An aquatic ecosystem includes communities of organisms within and around a water body. Every water body is a unique ecosystem that constantly changes over time (day and season).
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science focused on developing computers or computer-controlled machines to perform tasks that require human intelligence.
A bacterial colony is a visible mass of bacteria originating from a single mother cell, therefore containing genetically identical bacteria (clones).
BGi leverages cutting-edge satellite and drone imagery (coming soon) to deliver precise, real-time assessments of water quality and algal bloom conditions. BlueGreen’s proprietary AI and deep learning models analyze data remotely, providing actionable insights directly to an online portal and allowing clients to make informed decisions for healthier water bodies.
A biocide is a substance or biological agent used to mitigate the spread of harmful organisms. It can be used to eliminate, prevent, or control the proliferation of any harmful organism, such as an animal, plant, or microorganism.
Blue-green algae, also called cyanobacteria, are photosynthetic bacteria that primarily inhabit fresh and marine water. They can multiply and form blooms that look like blue-green or greenish-brown scum on the water’s surface and often emit a foul smell. Some blue-green algae produce toxins that may be released into the water, killing animals in extreme cases and causing severe illnesses in humans.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an essential trace gas in Earth’s atmosphere formed by the combustion of carbon-containing materials, fermentation, or animal or plant respiration. It is a principal greenhouse gas, which captures some radiative energy from the sun and is subsequently emitted from Earth. CO2 is used by plants and other primary producers for photosynthesis, where it is converted into carbohydrates.
Carbon fixation is the process by which living organisms convert carbon into inorganic compounds. CO2 fixation via photosynthesis is a form of atmospheric carbon fixation and conversion into carbohydrates.
Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. It plays a key role in photosynthesis by absorbing sunlight and transferring its energy to perform biosynthesis. This process produces organic compounds that sustain the organism and emit oxygen as a byproduct. This process sustains the primary producer’s life and also produces oxygen for the entire planet.
Carbon capture is the process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) formed during power generation and industrial processes before it enters the atmosphere, transporting and storing it in an underground geological formation.
A coagulant is a substance that causes coagulation, a process involving charge neutralization. In water treatment, coagulation-flocculation is a process that uses compounds that cause fine particles to clump into larger ones, making them easier to detach from the water. Therefore, this process can be used as a preliminary or intermediary step in water treatment.
Copper sulfate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula CuSO4(H2O)x (5≥ x≥0), used to eliminate bacteria, algae, plants, and various other organisms.
Cyanobacteria, aka blue-green algae, are photosynthetic microorganisms found naturally in water bodies. In warm weather (mainly in the summer and early fall) and nutrient-rich environments, cyanobacteria can multiply quickly, creating blooms. Cyanobacterial blooms can look like foam, scum, or mats. Harmful cyanobacterial blooms may affect people, animals, or the environment by blocking the sunlight and producing toxins called cyanotoxins, which are extremely potent natural poisons. BlueGreen’s Lake Guard® products can eradicate these severely harmful blooms and make water safe again for drinking and recreational activities.
Cyanotoxins are toxins excreted by cyanobacterial blooms in fresh or marine water bodies. Intracellular cyanotoxins are produced and contained within the algal cells. They are released into the surrounding water mainly during algal blooms when cell death and rupture (lysis) occur, but some cyanobacteria can also directly emit extracellular cyanotoxins into the water.
Cylindrospermopsin is a water-soluble cyanotoxin produced mainly in tropical and subtropical regions by various freshwater cyanobacteria, such as members of the Anabaena and Aphanizomenon genera.
Data acquisition is sampling and collecting analog signals that measure physical properties and converting them into digital numeric values that computers can analyze.
Data analysis is a process of examining, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data to extract useful information for decision-making.
Debromoaplysiatoxin is a cyanotoxin typically produced by Lyngbya majuscula, marine cyanobacteria that grows in long strands of up to 30 cm. It can cause seaweed dermatitis and is a potential carcinogen.
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is one of the most reliable modern analytical methods for detecting and identifying the components of a complex mixture. During the process, target compounds are physically separated, and the mass is detected.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the oxygen concentration in a water body originating from the atmosphere and aquatic plants. Dissolved oxygen (DO) indicates the amount of oxygen available to aquatic ecosystem inhabitants and measures water quality, hygiene, and ecosystem health.
Dolichospermum sp. is a nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacterial species capable of producing toxins. It can form massive blooms in freshwater environments.
Endosymbiosis is a symbiotic relationship between two organisms, where one organism lives inside the other. The endosymbiotic theory refers to the origin of eukaryotic cells from prokaryotic organisms, stating that the internalization of prokaryotes by an ancestral eukaryotic cell led to the formation of organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.
Eukaryotes are organisms with a distinctly defined nucleus because a membrane surrounds the nucleus and other organelles. The domain Eukaryota is one of the three domains of life, with bacteria and archaea comprising the other two.
A filament is an elongated threadlike object, such as a thin, elongated cell. The term filament may also refer to a long chain of subunits, including proteins, a series of cells attached to one another that can grow in algae, fungi, or bacteria.
A flocculant is a substance that can be added to a suspension to accelerate or strengthen the flocculation process. Flocculation is a physical process that causes colloidal particles to separate from a suspension by sedimenting as flocs or flakes. Unlike coagulation, flocculation does not involve charge neutralization.
Fluorescence is the reemission of electromagnetic radiation by a substance that has absorbed the radiation, causing the excitation of atoms within the material. This excitation leads to an almost immediate response in the form of light emission, mostly with lower energy than the absorbed radiation.
Gas bubbles can occur in water when the concentration of a dissolved gas exceeds its water solubility limit. Consequently, the gas molecules aggregate, forming bubbles that grow through coagulation and coalescence.
Geosmin is a natural sesquiterpene with a distinct earthy odor that most people can easily smell because the human nose can detect it in airborne concentrations as low as 5 ppt. Geosmin is the major volatile component of beet essence, fish, and beans and a component of the strong scent in the air when rain falls after dry weather.
Gram-negative bacteria do not retain the crystal violet stain in a chemical process called gram staining, which is used to differentiate bacteria according to their cell wall structure. These bacteria stain red, while gram-positive bacteria stain blue. Gram-negative bacteria are associated with some severe bacterial infections since they are naturally encapsulated, protecting them from white blood cells and certain antibiotics. In addition, Gram-negative bacteria can release endotoxins that enhance the severity of the damage they cause during infection.
Gram-positive bacteria have thick peptidoglycan cell walls. Therefore, they retain the crystal violet dye used in the gram-stain testing, yielding a positive result. This test classifies bacteria into two structure-based categories: Gram-negative and Gram-positive. Six Gram-positive bacterial genera are pathogenic to humans.
Copper sulfate is often used commercially in its granular form.
A growth curve is a graph that shows changes in a particular phenomenon at different time points. For example, a growth curve may display the change in the number of cells or organisms in a culture over time.
Growth curves comprise four phases, namely, lag, exponential (log), stationary, and death.
HABs occur when sea- or fresh-water algae grow out of control. They can produce toxic or harmful effects on people, marine life, and birds. The various types of HABs are determined by the diverse algal groups that form different toxins. HAB occurrence may be on the rise due to human-related activities.
In the last few decades, hurricanes have likely become more frequent and intense. This trend’s increased risk has a substantial impact on economic development and lives in coastal locations worldwide.
Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic to disinfect water bodies and the atmosphere. In addition, H2O2 is a reactive oxygen species and the simplest peroxide found in various biological systems, including the human body. BlueGreen’s Lake Guard® Oxy releases hydrogen peroxide as its active ingredient to induce oxidative stress in harmful cyanobacterial blooms, causing their collapse and demise.
A lake is any slowly moving or standing body of water occupying a relatively large inland basin. It is separate from any river or outlet that feeds or drains it and is not part of an ocean.
Lake Guard® is an affordable, highly effective, and environmentally friendly suite of water treatments. Each product shows measurable results within 48 hours. Lake Guard® Oxy and Blue products feature floating, slow-releasing formulations of market-approved algaecides designed to eliminate cyanobacterial toxic blooms (aka, blue-green algae) in freshwater bodies and prevent recurrence. Lake Guard® Dew is a slow-release formulation of market-approved substances designed to improve water clarity.
Lake Guard® Blue is a smart-floating technology encapsulated in an inert, biodegradable agent designed to eliminate toxic algal blooms. The product, composed of 95% weight in weight (w/w) copper sulfate pentahydrate, is registered with the US EPA and certified by the NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 standard for treating drinking water.
Lake Guard® Dew is a floating, slow-releasing formulation of aluminum sulfate that dramatically improves water clarity by removing excess nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates, reducing alkalinity, and lowering pH. It is designed to replace existing burdensome and expensive aluminum treatment methods. Lake Guard® Dew acts as a coagulant, causing nutrients and suspended matter to clump together for quick, easy removal.
Lake Guard® Oxy is a smart-floating technology, time-releasing formulation of 86% weight in weight (w/w) sodium percarbonate that releases hydrogen peroxide as its active ingredient, is registered with the US EPA and certified by the NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 standard for treating drinking water.
Lipopolysaccharides, composed of a lipid and a polysaccharide, are the main components of the outer membrane of most Gram-negative bacteria. They are essential to the morphology and functionality of the outer membrane and can also function as virulence factors.
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is one of the most reliable modern analytical methods for detecting and identifying the components of a complex mixture. During the process, target compounds are physically separated, and the mass is detected.
Lyngbya is a genus of cyanobacteria that grows in oceans, salt marshes, and freshwater, often forming dense, floating mats. Contact with Lyngbya may cause skin irritation in humans and can be lethal if ingested, typically through consuming contaminated fish.
Lyngbyatoxin-a is a cyanotoxin produced by several cyanobacterial species and is a known carcinogen. Human exposure to Lyngbyatoxin-a can lead to the common skin condition known as seaweed dermatitis and severe oral and gastrointestinal inflammation.
Microcystins are a large family of toxins, including Microcystis, Planktothrix, Anabaena, Oscillatoria, and Nostoc, produced by freshwater cyanobacteria. The most common and most toxic form of microcystin is microcystin-LR. Cyanobacterial blooms containing microcystin are a global problem, risking freshwater safety for humans and animals.
Microcystis is a genus of freshwater cyanobacteria that can produce toxins, such as microcystin and cyanopeptolin.
Nodularins are potent toxins produced by the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena, which form algal blooms in brackish water bodies and coastal waters worldwide. The Baltic Sea is the best-known example of Nodularin proliferation.
Nutrients are substances organisms obtain from the environment that they need to perform their basic functions, including energy production, construction, and regulation. Nitrogen and phosphorus, the nutrients that aquatic microorganisms need, exist in every water body. They are the base of the food chain and support a healthy, biodiverse aquatic system. Biodiversity makes lakes “immune to” being overrun by any single species.
Oscillatoria is a genus of blue-green cyanobacteria whose filaments oscillate against each other within a colony. It is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs and can produce toxins, including microcystins.
Oxidative stress (OS) occurs when organisms produce excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. OS can result in damage to the organism’s cells and cellular components, proteins, lipids, and DNA and contribute to aging.
pH is a measure of water acidity or alkalinity (basicity) on a scale ranging from 0 to 14. Values less than 7 indicate acidity, above 7 are base, and 7 is neutral (pure water). pH is measured as the relative concentration of free hydrogen and hydroxyl ions in the water, typically ranging from approximately 1 to 10−14 gram-equivalents per liter, corresponding to pH values between 0 and 14.
Photosynthesis is the process by which light energy is transformed into chemical energy, and water, carbon dioxide, and minerals turn into oxygen and organic compounds. Plants and certain microorganisms, including algae and cyanobacteria, perform photosynthesis. Collectively, these organisms are known as photoautotrophs or primary producers and constitute the base of the food chain.
Phycocyanin is a light-harvesting pigment-binding protein in microalgae and an accessory pigment to chlorophyll. Phycocyanin is a non-toxic, water-soluble compound exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and many other positive health effects. It is classified by color into blue phycocyanin, comprising C-phycocyanin (C-PC) and allophycocyanin (A-PC), and red phycoerythrin.
A phylogenetic tree is a branching diagram or tree depicting the lines of evolutionary descent of different species, organisms, or genes from a common ancestor. All life forms on Earth belong to a single phylogenetic tree, meaning they share a common ancestor.
Pigments are intensely colored inorganic compounds insoluble in water (as opposed to dyes) used for coloring materials. Because they are insoluble, pigments are used as a suspension of finely ground solid particles in a liquid.
Planktothrix is a genus of cyanobacteria dominating a variety of freshwater ecosystems that can form toxic blooms.
Polysaccharides, the most abundant carbohydrates in food, store energy in organisms. Polysaccharides are composed of monosaccharide chains attached by glycosidic bonds. Three of the most abundant ones, namely, starch, glycogen, and cellulose, are composed of glucose chains. Starch and glycogen serve as short-term energy storage in plants and animals, respectively.
A pond is a shallow and still freshwater body that can be either natural or artificial. Pond sizes and depths vary greatly with the seasons, as many ponds are created from rivers that flood in springtime.
As a core part of our services, BlueGreen Water Technologies provides preventative treatments to inhibit cyanobacterial proliferation when their concentrations in the water are low. The preventative treatment uses low BlueGreen product doses to stop the cyanobacteria from reaching high concentrations. This approach saves money and resources while preventing the detrimental effect of harmful algal blooms (HABs) on ecosystem balance and the use of water bodies for drinking and recreational purposes. Preventative BlueGreen treatments are highly cost-effective solutions for reducing the costs of HAB treatment and the damage to water use and tourism.
Primary metabolites are directly involved in organisms’ physiological functions, such as growth, development, and reproduction. Examples of primary metabolites include lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids.
A probe is a small device placed in an object to be researched (such as water) to measure scientific parameters.
A prokaryote is a single-celled organism with no internal membranes, lacking a distinct nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Prokaryotic organisms comprise bacteria, including cyanobacteria.
Programmed cell death is a multicellular organism’s regulated biological process of cell suicide to selectively remove cells to preserve its integrity. Unicellular organisms also perform regulated programmed cell death, triggered by extracellular signals, to preserve and protect the cell population.
Quorum sensing (QS) is a mechanism that enables cells to detect and respond to fluctuations in population density through chemical signaling. It regulates gene expression, ensuring that certain genes are expressed only when cell densities are high. In bacteria, quorum sensing helps control specific processes, such as virulence factor expression and biofilm formation based on bacterial density.
Reactive oxygen species are highly reactive molecules and free radicals derived from molecular oxygen. They are produced as byproducts of aerobic metabolism in cells. Examples of ROS include peroxides, superoxides, hydroxyl radicals, singlet oxygens, and alpha-oxygen. Excess ROS leads to toxic effects and molecular damage, also known as oxidative distress.
Red tides are harmful algal blooms that discolor coastal waters. Red tides can be hazardous to the environment and human and animal health. Human activities have increased the frequency of red tides by contributing to runoff containing chemicals from farming, factories, sewage treatment plants, and other sources, which flow into the ocean. During a red tide, fish and other marine organisms often wash up dead on beaches, either from ingesting toxins or suffocating from lack of oxygen.
Remote sensing acquires information about the physical characteristics of an object or phenomenon, typically on Earth or other planets, by measuring its reflected and emitted radiation without physically touching the object.
Saxitoxins are among the most potent known natural toxins that certain marine and freshwater cyanobacteria produce. Saxitoxins can infect shellfish, causing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in humans who consume them. This contamination often requires shellfish harvesting bans in coastal waters worldwide, leading to severe economic repercussions.
Sea temperature reduction is required to mitigate certain risks associated with warmer water. Several actions can be taken to reduce sea temperatures, including limiting greenhouse gas emissions and taking steps to protect and restore marine and coastal ecosystems.
Secondary metabolites are natural low-molecular-weight organic compounds that bacteria, fungi, or plants produce. They possess certain chemical structures and perform specific biological activities. Secondary metabolites are not directly involved in organism growth, development, or reproduction. They are also known as secondary products or toxins.
Sodium percarbonate, also called solid hydrogen peroxide, is an adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide with the chemical formula 2Na₂CO₃·3H₂O₂. SPC is a stable source of alkaline hydrogen peroxide in a granular form, which can be used as a cleaning, disinfecting, or bleaching agent.
Stratification is the separation of a water column into layers based on temperature or salinity that produce different water densities. The stratified layers act as barriers to water mixing, affecting light intensity, heat exchange, and quantities of carbon, oxygen, and various nutrients.
Symbiosis is a long-term biological relationship between two different species, including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
A thermocline is a thin but distinct layer within a body of water where the temperature changes drastically with depth. It divides the upper mixed layer from the colder, calmer, deeper water below.
Toxic algal bloom is another name for harmful algal bloom (HAB).
A water body is any clearly defined collection of water, such as an ocean, lake, river, pond, or stream.
Water remediation is the process of removing contaminants, pollutants, or impurities from water to restore it to a safe and usable state. This practice is critical for protecting ecosystems, ensuring safe drinking water, and supporting recreational, agricultural and industrial needs.
Water scarcity is the lack of availability or access to a regular supply of fresh and safe water. There are two types of water scarcity: physical scarcity, which is a shortage of water to meet all demands, and economic water scarcity, in which there is an adequate water supply, but it is unavailable due to a lack of water infrastructure.
The United Nations defines water security as “the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.” Water-related hazards must be mitigated, and access to water services and resources must be protected to achieve water security.
Water treatment is a process to improve water quality and make it suitable and safe for specific purposes: drinking, irrigation, recreational activity, safe release into the environment, etc. The treatment types depend on the particular end-use and include screening, filtration, membrane processes, and disinfection using UV radiation, to name a few. BlueGreen Water Technologies offers a variety of products that treat HAB-infested waters and make them safe for drinking and recreational activities.
Watertech, short for "water technology," is a collective name for technologies that deliver solutions to address water management, treatment, conservation, and distribution challenges. Watertech aims to improve water quality, efficiency, and sustainability across industries and communities. BlueGreen Water Technologies is a leading global watertech company with proprietary water technologies that treat water problems in lakes and oceans worldwide, leveraging scientific ingenuity, big data, deep learning and AI.
Wavelength is the distance between points that have completed identical parts of their periodic motion propagated in space. In other words, it is the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase on a wave.
β-Methylamino-L-alanine is a neurotoxin produced by marine, freshwater, and terrestrial cyanobacteria.
