Phytoplankton may be responsible for massive growth (blooms) whose detection is particularly important at ecosystem scale, because of biomass effect, and at health level. In fact, several microalgae can produce toxins which may accumulate in shellfish and fish causing acute or chronic syndromes in human consumers. These phenomena are globally known as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Identification of phytoplankton at the species level is a crucial HAB surveillance approach, thus collaboration of monitoring operators with research institutions specialised in microalgal characterisation is particularly needed (fostered). In the framework of research projects involving the lab, the Agency for Environmental Protection of Latium and the "Istituto Zooprofilattico Lazio-Toscana" and, since 1996, the "Istituto per lo studio dell'ambiente marino costiero", CNR, Taranto, the diversity of coastal phytoplankters was assessed along with abundance and periodicity of blooms. Toxin production by a given taxon may vary due to intra-specific, physiological differences and environmental factors, leading to the risk that countermeasures might be taken in presence of non-toxic populations. Nevertheless, indications based on morphological characterisation of species is still significant to address further biochemical and toxicological analyses, which are in any case expensive and require experienced operators. Development of novel monitoring tools (e. g. screen-printed electrodes) is, therefore, of primary importance in view of the global increase of HABs and of the need of fast and reliable toxin detection methods to protect human health and ecosystems. The annual monitoring of domoic acid in natural samples of Latium coasts has been thus undertaken allowing quantification of toxin in algal extracts and the tracking of its transfer through the food chain.