Water Intake Protection Address

Justin's presentation will focus on the FASTflow fluorimeter, which offers three channels of differing wavelengths (as opposed to the single chlorophyll a channel of the FASTtracka II). The operation of all three channels within the FASTflow instrument, together with the new FASTpro 3 software, provides improved estimates of primary productivity. The FASTflow also provides complete flexibility of control of individual channels allowing interrogation of different algae groups within the sample, i.e. green algae, blue-green algae, diatoms.

The FASTflow fluorimeter is the successor to the successful FASTtracka II, which had demonstrated detection of a wide range of potential contaminants, and had successfully confirmed its ability to detect contaminated water in the field.

The FASTtracka II and FASTflow fluorimeters both operate by utilising active chlorophyll a fluorescence from water-borne algae (Fast Repetition Rate fluorescence, FRRF), which provides a non-destructive and minimally intrusive method of probing oxygenic photosynthesis. Information from these instruments can provide immediate detection of a wide range of contaminants that attack the photosynthetic process. Of equal relevance is the information gained on the 'health' of the algae present, and its growth potential, which can provide early notification of onset of an algae bloom.

A benefit of the FRRf technique is its rapidity in taking these readings, which occur in orders of microseconds, which allow robust measurements of photosynthetic ability in flowing water systems.