Team:Dundee/HumanPractice/PoliticalCampaign

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           <h2><b>Clatto Country Park – Case Study</b> </h2>
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           <h2><b>M.O.P Campaign</b> </h2>
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          <p>Many open waters located in and around Dundee are affected by Blue-Green Algae. This was one motivation that made selecting our ToxiMop project appropriate because we are tackling a local problem that also has worldwide implications.</p><br>
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<h2>The M.O.P Campaign</h2>
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<p>It has been an incredible summer in much of the UK this year and the sun has been shining even here in Scotland. Just outside Dundee in mid-July a record breaking temperature of 28.9C (84F) was reported. The weather has been great for our vitamin D levels but it has been very bad for our local ponds, reservoirs and lochs. After reading multiple stories in the local news about “hazardous” algal blooms springing up around the city we decided to speak to the Senior Countryside Ranger George Potts. George worked at Clatto Reservoir in Dundee for many years and you can find an interview with George and a case study of the reservoir here (LINK TO CLATTO PAGE). Clatto has been affected by algal blooms for several years and recreational water sport activities have now ceased entirely. This has resulted in a decline in visitor numbers to the surrounding country park, thus, impacting on the local economy.</p></br>
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<p>We specifically asked George about why there are sign posts up at Clatto urging the public to avoid entering the water. We were told that the water has been deemed as potentially unsafe. He explained a little bit about how the water is tested and what the regulations are outlining water safety in regards to algal blooms. It turns out that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for testing water affected by algal blooms. The tests involve calculating the number of cyanobacterial cells per ml of water. SEPA follows the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation that a concentration of 20,000 cells per ml has a relatively low probability of causing adverse health effects and a concentration of 100,000 cells per ml has a moderate probability of causing adverse health effects.  SEPA tests the water at Clatto once a month (SEPA do offer additional testing) and having failed the test Clatto has been sign posted as unsafe. However, due to the erratic behaviour of cyanobacteria the abundance of the organisms can fluctuate on an hourly basis, so a monthly test may not be ideal. Additionally, it has been estimated that for each algal bloom there is a 60-70 % chance that it is actually toxic. These current regulations are of course in place to keep the public and their pets as safe as possible but we question whether the regulations are entirely appropriate. </p></br>
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<p>Our MOP device (LINK to part of website about MOP) and detector (LINK to part of website about Detector) aims to deal with this problem by targeting the toxin specifically instead of the cells. Additionally, our Moptopus device aims to give real-time information to track the dynamic process of algal bloom formation. </p></br>
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        <p> One particular location in Dundee where Blue-Green Algae has had a dramatic effect is Clatto Country Park. In the past the park has had up to 95,000 visitors per year with recreational activities such as watersports, children’s play areas and picnic sites being the main attractions focussed around the parks freshwater reservoir and surrounding woods.</p><br>
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          <p>Moving forward in time, with the Blue-Green Algae problems faced by the park each year, recreational swimming is no longer permitted in the reservoir. This has shutdown the watersports programme at Clatto and the signage to warn people of the danger faced by the water has had such a dramatic effect to reduce the number of visitors per year to less than 30,000. This reduction in visitors has led to the closure of staffing facilities.  The aim of ToxiMop project is to restore open waters like Clatto back to their former glory.</p><br>
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          <p>We have been working with George Potts, Senior Countryside Ranger, who has been involved at Clatto for 40 years. We want to raise awareness that the testing procedures at Clatto are insufficient to demand the closure recreational activities on the reservoir. This is strongly linked to the development of our MopTopus electronic sensing device, which can be used as a more appropriate measure of the toxin levels in the water. </p><br>
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          <p>Currently sampling is carried out once a month, and when a dangerous level of toxin is detected three clean tests are required to give the all clear to the reservoir. Therefore during the summer after microcystin is detected the reservoir is closed for 3 months minimum. MopTopus will allow daily samples and updates to be taken. </p><br>
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          <p>Dundee City Councils guidelines enforced for the dangerous levels of toxins for recreational sports are as advised by the WHO for safe drinking water, whereas in other locations around the world different practices are used. We want to work with Ancrum Outdoor Activity Centre, Dundee City Council and SEPA to raise awareness on the safety of the water and how using synthetic biology our MopTopus device has the potential to return locations like Clatto back to popular venues for future generations. </p><br>
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Revision as of 17:22, 2 September 2013

iGEM Dundee 2013 · ToxiMop

Dundee 2013

M.O.P Campaign

The M.O.P Campaign

It has been an incredible summer in much of the UK this year and the sun has been shining even here in Scotland. Just outside Dundee in mid-July a record breaking temperature of 28.9C (84F) was reported. The weather has been great for our vitamin D levels but it has been very bad for our local ponds, reservoirs and lochs. After reading multiple stories in the local news about “hazardous” algal blooms springing up around the city we decided to speak to the Senior Countryside Ranger George Potts. George worked at Clatto Reservoir in Dundee for many years and you can find an interview with George and a case study of the reservoir here (LINK TO CLATTO PAGE). Clatto has been affected by algal blooms for several years and recreational water sport activities have now ceased entirely. This has resulted in a decline in visitor numbers to the surrounding country park, thus, impacting on the local economy.


We specifically asked George about why there are sign posts up at Clatto urging the public to avoid entering the water. We were told that the water has been deemed as potentially unsafe. He explained a little bit about how the water is tested and what the regulations are outlining water safety in regards to algal blooms. It turns out that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for testing water affected by algal blooms. The tests involve calculating the number of cyanobacterial cells per ml of water. SEPA follows the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation that a concentration of 20,000 cells per ml has a relatively low probability of causing adverse health effects and a concentration of 100,000 cells per ml has a moderate probability of causing adverse health effects. SEPA tests the water at Clatto once a month (SEPA do offer additional testing) and having failed the test Clatto has been sign posted as unsafe. However, due to the erratic behaviour of cyanobacteria the abundance of the organisms can fluctuate on an hourly basis, so a monthly test may not be ideal. Additionally, it has been estimated that for each algal bloom there is a 60-70 % chance that it is actually toxic. These current regulations are of course in place to keep the public and their pets as safe as possible but we question whether the regulations are entirely appropriate.


Our MOP device (LINK to part of website about MOP) and detector (LINK to part of website about Detector) aims to deal with this problem by targeting the toxin specifically instead of the cells. Additionally, our Moptopus device aims to give real-time information to track the dynamic process of algal bloom formation.


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