EASTHAMPTON, Mass. - Cyanobacteria blooms have been spotted in multiple bodies of water across Massachusetts including Nashawannuck Pond in Easthampton, and they raise major concerns for public safety.

Cyanobacteria, which some may refer to as blue green algae, is studied under the umbrella of "harmful algae blooms." 

Retired neurologist Allison Ryan said cyanobacteria for billions of years has provided oxygen for all species to breathe. But when grown out of proportion, it can produce potent toxins with many negative effects to wildlife, pets and humans.

"If there are toxins present in a high enough concentration, then dogs, for example, are roughly 100x more sensitive pound for pound as people and so small dogs, one mouth full could cause death within minutes or hours," Ryan said.

Last year, Ryan, the Easthampton Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee and the Connecticut River Conservancy began placing barley straw in onion bags to try to control and prevent the development of cyanobacteria.

"We did analysis both visual and inspection photos," Ryan said. "And also microscopic analysis of the water and we did this not only for Nashawannuck but several other local bodies of water. All the other bodies of water had significant amounts of cyanobacteria. Nashawannuck did not and we thought that was encouraging."

It's been a time consuming process, so the team recently purchased a new device called CyanoFluor to collect samples and test them in a more timely and efficient manner.

"Using this equipment, we're able to measure the abundance of cyanobacteria which can inform us if there's an active bloom or not but it also and more importantly allows us to predict when blooms might happen," said Aliki Fornier, an ecology planner for the Connecticut River Conservancy.

Fornier said her team will typically go to ponds when there's a strong current of water so clothing and other potential bacteria don't interrupt the sample collecting process. Then, they'll rinse the syringe multiple times in the water before finalizing on a sample.

"So this is our device," said Fornier, demonstrating the process. "I just turned it on, and I'm just going to just insert our sample in the device. And I'm going to close the cap, and by pressing the read button. I'm going to send a laser through the sample which is going to be able to identify, as Allison said, the chlorophyll a in the cells that contain the phycocyanin and give us the abundance of cyanobacteria in the water body."

Fornier said she warns people looking out for cyanobacteria to be careful because it can be mistaken for other things on the water like pollen. She said the goal of the research team is to gain more of a following and support so they can better monitor and manage potential dangerous throughout the state.