An abundance of reddish-brown algae has bloomed in the ocean, causing many Santa Cruz residents to suffer allergic reactions.
There’s an annual seasonal problem that happens in California coastal communities like Santa Cruz.
We’ve seen it happening for a long time.
It has to do with algae buildup in the ocean.
The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports some of the side effects of this proliferation, including the neuro-poisoning of animals and marine life, along with gastrointestinal problems for people who eat contaminated mussels or other seafood.
Basically, these blooms carry certain neurotoxins that harm sea life. But they can also cause symptoms in humans, similar to hay fever or seasonal allergies. So if you went for a swim, and you have sneezing, sniffling, cough… it just might be because of this kind of allergen.
Researching Algae
When you do some googling on the allergy problems with red algae, you tend to hear about cases of something called amnesic shellfish poisoning, where people get sick from eating the wildlife because it’s exposed to something called domoic acid. Here’s part of a statement from the Washington state Department of Health about the issue:
“Razor clams are most often affected by Amnesic Shellfish Poison because the algae that produce the toxin are more commonly found in coastal areas. Amnesic Shellfish Poison has also been detected in mussels, clams, and oysters in Puget Sound. Dungeness crab, because they feed on razor clams and other shellfish, can also become toxic. Even if the crab meat is safe, Amnesic Shellfish Poison tends to accumulate in crab gut and butter (the white-yellow fat inside the back of the shell). Clean crab thoroughly by removing all the butter and discarding the guts.”
Outside of the states, this can be a problem as well. For instance, there’s a major incident in Prince Edward Island in Canada that’s often cited as an example of this kind of health hazard.
However, if you dig some more, you will see some articles mentioning other kinds of allergies, respiratory allergies, to the red algae.
This resource at Oceanbites talks about the red tide, and how people have had symptoms similar to hay fever after swimming or being around the water.
So apparently, some of these microbes get airborne and affect people who have not eaten contaminated seafood.
This kind of information is hard to find, though, because so much of the literature, including notices from state agencies, focuses exclusively on the shellfish poisoning!
Natural and Synthetic Contaminants
Algae is just one of the seasonal items that gives people allergic reactions, like pollen and grass, or mold spores on leaves.
Then there’s all of the contaminants given off by industrial processes or vehicle exhaust, or combustion, like the wildfires that are roaming the country.
Some of the best things you can do about the outdoor air involve limiting your exposure by staying inside. When it comes to indoor air, staying protected becomes a little more complicated.
Over time, many of the seasonal allergies can make their way into your home’s indoor air. So how do you get them out?
The answer: use a modern air purifier – just cycle the air, and remove all of these pollutants that can cause seasonal allergies or other kinds of respiratory problems.
US Air Purifiers LLC can help. We’ll answer questions related to the newest technology, how air purifier models rate, and what is meant by terms like CADR and ACH. Read the rest of the blog for more on indoor air pollutants of all kinds.