Public methods
Algae Toxin Field Test
Lake Pulse reports measurements. It does not score, rate, rank or forecast lakes or properties.
What it measures
What's measured & how
1 parameter · Field toxin screen (presence/absence)
- Value type
- Not published
| Parameter | Unit | Measured by |
|---|---|---|
| Microcystins and nodularins | Detected / Not detected (no concentration) | You |
- Microcystins and nodularins
- Unit:
- Detected / Not detected (no concentration)
- Measured by:
- You
You get
- An on-site reading in about 20 minutes: detected or not detected at the screening threshold
- Your result, dated and mapped, on your lake's timeline
How it's produced
- Test type
- Field toxin screen (presence/absence)
- Device
- Single-use test cassette, read against the kit instructions
- Screening threshold
- Set below the EPA 8 µg/L recreational advisory level for microcystins; exact value in the kit instructions
- Confirmation
- Confirm a positive with the lab Microcystin (Cyanotoxin) Test
How (lab/instrument, method)
- Test type
- Field toxin screen (presence/absence)
- Device
- Single-use test cassette, read against the kit instructions
- Screening threshold
- Set below the EPA 8 µg/L recreational advisory level for microcystins; exact value in the kit instructions
- Confirmation
- Confirm a positive with the lab Microcystin (Cyanotoxin) Test
Limits (MDL/RL, resolution, interval)
Published limits appear with their parameters in the measurement box above. Unspecified detection limits, reporting limits, resolution, and reading intervals are not inferred.
Value type
Not supplied in the product's published methods.
What it can and can't tell you
Every reading and observation shows the date it was collected. Field values are made by you or your members, at the place and time recorded, and depend on the instrument, the observer, light, weather, and technique. They are not laboratory analyses. Observations, such as Lake Tag presses or microscope sightings, are reports, not verified identifications. Lake Pulse records what is submitted; it does not independently verify each entry. Results can help you make decisions about safe swimming and water use, but no result is definitive for every place and time. It is always good practice to check posted signs and your state or local health authorities. This is a screen, not a certified result. A positive should be confirmed by laboratory analysis before it drives a formal advisory. A negative applies only to the water tested and does not mean the water is safe. Blooms move, and toxin production can change quickly.
Version and last updated date
- Methods version
- Not supplied in the product's published methods.
- Last updated
- Not supplied in the product's published methods.
