Chinese Algae Bloom Isn't the First This Year

It's not easy being green ... at least that's what Kermit the Frog said, but for folks in China, green is what they are seeing. Parts of the Yellow Sea are a bright shade of green right now thanks to an algal bloom caused by enteromorpha prolifera.

The neon green algae bloom in the Yellow Sea along the coast of Qingdoo in Shangdong Province has made for some spectacular photos and gotten plenty of attention on the Web. The algae is usually caused by excessive nutrients and pollutants in the water but officials are uncertain what exactly has caused this spreading blob of algae.

In the Yellow Sea, such algae blooms have historically occurred nearly every year since 2000, between April and July. In 2008, the algae bloom caused what may have been the largest "green tide" in known history up to that time in the Yellow Sea. By late June 2008, that particular bloom had covered more than 1,500 square miles. This year's bloom has spread to more than 7,000 square miles and covers about 200 miles of coastline in the Yellow Sea.

While entermorpha prolifera is not considered toxic, it does pose a risk to aquatic life as it sucks the oxygen out of the water when it dies off. Accordingly, fish and other marine animals need that oxygen to survive and the decomposition of algae blooms can cause fish die offs.

Algae blooms can be the bane of summer fun in the water and in the United States, excessive heat and extreme conditions have only made the 2011 season full of algae reports. In the U.S., a number of algal blooms have closed lakes and waterways and created a health concern. Cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, has been popping up in freshwater lakes, rivers and streams and even in oceans--creating health risks and killing fish.

In North Carolina, such algae blooms have showed up along a 50-mile stretch of Cape Fear River as well as other portions of the river, prompting warnings from public health officials.

Grand Lake, near Tulsa, Okla., experienced a blue-green algae outbreak in early July. Water tests showed that the parts of the lake had toxic levels of the algae that were 18 times higher than warning levels used by the World Health Organization.

Symptoms of neurotoxin poisoning by blue-green algae show up quickly -- usually about 15-20 minutes after exposure or ingestion. Those symptoms in animals include difficulty breathing, weakness, staggering, convulsions and death. Symptoms in humans include tingling in the fingers and toes, numbness of lips and dizziness.

Mid-July brought a shoreline full of dead ocean life in Naples, Florida -- most likely due to an algae bloom offshore. Authorities were uncertain exactly what type of algae bloom was responsible for this fish die off.

It will be interesting to continue watching the algae in the Yellow Sea to see if it continues or begins to die off. Either way, perhaps it is best if you find out what's in the water before you jump in.