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Fighting algae blooms: Researchers investigating whether sounds can stop toxic blooms

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Published  April 29, 2025 6:53pm EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando
Researchers investigating if sounds can stop harmful algae blooms

Researchers investigating if sounds can stop harmful algae blooms

Underwater soundwaves could be a new tool to save the Indian River Lagoon. Environmental officials on the Space Coast are testing a pilot project to see if sound can stop algae blooms from destroying the ecosystem with harmful fish kills, starving manatees and stifling seagrass growth. FOX 35's Esther Bower has more on this new research.

The Brief

    • Brevard County officials are testing underwater soundwave technology to combat harmful algae blooms in the Indian River Lagoon. 
    • The year-long pilot project uses ultrasonic transducers to disrupt algae cells, potentially preventing blooms and protecting the ecosystem.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Underwater soundwaves could be a new tool to save the Indian River Lagoon. Environmental officials on the Space Coast are testing a pilot project to see if sound can stop algae blooms from destroying the ecosystem with harmful fish kills, starving manatees and stifling seagrass growth.

Can the negative impacts of algae blooms be stopped with sound?

What they're saying:

"It has whole ecosystem level impacts," said Aleah Ataman with Brevard County’s natural resources department, explaining how big of a problem algae blooms are across the region. She’s set out to investigate: could those negative impacts be stopped with sound?

"This technology has worked in lakes and other freshwater systems," said Ataman, who’s a lagoon environmental specialist. Ataman says since it’s been successful in other areas, it's possible the same sound technology can work in the Indian River Lagoon.

"We call them ultrasonic transducers," said the scientist. FOX 35’s Esther Bower saw photos of the tech being used and found out it’s not very hard to set up because it dangles from a dock into the water.

When in use, the system sends out low frequency sound waves in the water that affect the algae. "The gas vacuole inside the algae cell gets disrupted by the frequencies that are emitted," said Ataman.

That cell disruption is enough to keep the algae from floating and feeding off the sun. When it sinks, it can’t cause a bloom.

"Oh, we’re noticing a bloom here, imagine if we could head it off before it spread," said lagoon lover Fred Goldstein. He sits on the Citizen Oversight Committee for the Save Our Indian River Lagoon program and has one of the test tools in a canal near his neighborhood.

"We put this in place. Here’s what it did. Did it have any negative impacts?" said Goldstein, who’s eager to see what the study shows.

What happens if it works?

What's next:

If the pilot goes well, the county would use the tool to beat blooms. They're constantly tracking algae levels on an interactive map using satellite data. Ataman says they could rapidly install the system when levels look bad in an area of the lagoon.

"We can fall back on these technologies if something major was going to occur," she said. "We could put the devices out, turn them on, it’s really easy."

Officials are also monitoring if marine life seems to be impacted by the underwater sounds. This pilot is going on for a year in several neighborhood canals near Sykes Creek. It’s funded by a $200,000 grant from Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

The Source: FOX 35's Reporter Esther Bower met with the county lagoon researcher on 4/29 at a park dock near where the pilot is taking place. She also interviewed a resident via zoom on 4/29 who is monitoring the project in his neighborhood.

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