Marine Biology

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in a size range from tiny microscopic cells floating in the water column (phytoplankton) to large mats of visible “macroalgae” that grow on bottom sediments” . These algae can become harmful if their population increases or if they start to produce some toxin. Their large populations can cause environmental problems, which include the blocking of the sunlight to the underwater plants, and the consumption of the oxygen in the water, which can lead to fish kills. Large numbers of algae can also produce a lot of pollution (scum) and might interfere with the feeding of the various fish and organisms that live in the water.
However, the most harmful effect that some of these toxic algae can have is on the human health and body. These harmful algae have been known to ‘bloom’ to a high concentration in various seas of the world, leading to many health problems for humans. Sometimes, the algae grows extremely fast, or bloom, and “accumulate into dense, visible patches near the surface of ...

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These toxins build up in the shellfish and are extremely harmful for humans if consumed by them.
The research project related to this phenomenon started in the late 1990s when it was found that the shellfish were frequently affected by the HABs. “In subsequent research, the scientists discovered that the resistance to PSTs is caused by a mutation in the gene for sodium channels, which makes them more than 1,000 times less sensitive to saxitoxin. This toxin resistance allows the clams to survive and feed during harmful algal blooms and thereby accumulate the high levels of PSTs that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans” . Other researches have also been conducted on the ...

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