Harmful Algal Bloom: HAB
What are Harmful Algal Bloom?
Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) is environmental problem caused by excessive growth of micro algae in water body. The overgrowth of the micro algae happen when there is excessive amount of nutrients in the water and with some other factor such as sunlight and static or slow moving movement of water.
The example of microalgae that cause HAB is cyanobacteria, dinoflagellate, and blue green algae. Some of the microalgae produce toxin in freshwater or marine water, while the non toxic micro algae also give damage in economic such as aquacuture industries or commercial fishing industries.
What are the major factor contribute to this problem?
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| Nutrients run off from agricultural activity |
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| Domestic wastewater |
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| Industrial waste |
Three major factor that contribute to HAB is nutrients runs off that come from agriculture activity. In agriculture industries, there are a lot of uses of chemical fertilizer that rich in nutrients. Excessive uses of fertliser may caused nutrients run off where the nutrients entered the water body after rain or flood. Besides that, poor management of industrial waste and domestic waste are also the major factor that contributing in HAB. MOST of the waste are directly flow to the river without any treatment done.
Other factors that trigger HAB are:
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| Sunlight |
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| Static movement of water |
Example of Harmful Algal Bloom:
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| Red tide |
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| Lake Eutrophication |
Effect of HAB:
Human health (direct exposure):
- Rashes
- Respiratory problems
- Stomach or liver illness
- Contamination of nitirite in drinking water
- Create hypoxia or dead zone in water
- Blocking sunlight
- Cause mortality to other living organism such as fishes and crustaceans
- Water pollution
- Negative impact on tourism industry
- Commercial fishing and shellfish losses
- Aquaculture industries losses
- Increased cost to treat water for domestic uses
Studies done on Harmful Algal Bloom:
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