Treatment for red tide already exists

The recent article in the Feb. 16 issue regarding red tide is woefully short on factual data and long on unsubstantiated claims.

The insistence on “public awareness“ is outrageous. What good is “public awareness” in preventing thousands of dead fish, hundreds of dead manatees and dozens of dead dolphins? How does “public awareness” prevent illness to those inadvertently exposed to wind-spread toxins?

There is a treatment for the Florida red tide, Karenia brevis, which was very effective in lab tests conducted by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. They have demonstrated effective removal of K. brevis with a surface application of a combination of phosphatic clay and polyaluminum chloride (PAC) at a level of approximately 1 tablespoon per 14 square feet to handle water depths of 10 feet. Let me repeat, 1 tablespoon for 14 square feet! This minuscule amount of material should suffice in our shallow shore waters that are mostly less than 10 feet deep and not cause serious side effects.

We are fortunate that phosphatic clay is in abundant supply at extremely low cost in Florida as a waste product from phosphate mining. It could be deployed over infected areas, not the entire coast, using boats or aircraft. Why has this not been tried? What is the cost of red tide bloom? Who benefits from not investigating this approach to red tide control?

The Chinese and Koreans have been using similar clays for many years to control their red tide problems. The treatment has proven very cost effective using optimized clays at one-third the levels presented above!

We do not need a perfect ”fix,” just one that works well in the limited areas along the coast where damage is greatest. It is way past time to stop “studying” red tide and start deploying controlled experimental treatments with proven effectiveness!

This story was originally published February 20, 2017 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Treatment for red tide already exists."