Originally published on Gulf Coast News by Natacha Casal on April 11, 2026
Researchers and environmental advocates gathered at Florida Southwestern State College to address the health and environmental impacts of harmful algal blooms, including airborne toxins and neurological effects.
The Calusa Waterkeeper hosted a discussion at Florida SouthWestern State College Saturday morning to spotlight the long-term health and environmental effects of harmful algal blooms.
Keynote speaker Dr. David A. Davis, with the University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank, shared findings from his research on dolphins, revealing concerning neurological changes.
“We found that they can exhibit changes in their brain that are kind of similar to what we see in patients with Alzheimer’s disease,” Davis said.
Currently, there is limited research showing that algal blooms cause illness through airborne exposure. To address this, the Calusa Waterkeeper developed an “Aerosol Detector for Harmful Algae Monitoring,” or ADAM.
“So basically where the water meets the air, there’s an interface there where a certain amount of the sign of toxins that we’re trying to look at with this equipment, they become airborne and then they travel around and can move several miles from onshore and around in water; and people are breathing these toxins,” said Joe Cavanaugh, Calusa Waterkeeper.
Cavanaugh noted that while most people know not to eat shellfish exposed to algal blooms, fewer realize that even breathing in the smell could pose long-term health risks.
Original Story