NAPLES, Fla. -- Collier County is stepping up its efforts to detect red tide.
Scientists from Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota met with a packed house at North Collier Regional Park Wednesday night to set the record straight on what causes red tide.
Experts say there are several species of algae which cause red tide and the harmful neurotoxins they emit. Bubbles in the water help bring these toxins to the surface, which is what causes beachgoers to experience respiratory problems.
"We collected those and found 50 times the amount of toxins, per unit of water, in the droplets as there were in the water.”
Mote says it's beginning to experiment with ozone to kill red tide cells without harming marine life.
