AQUAMMS

"Development of a portable miniature mass spectrometer to monitor important, but technically difficult parameters in aquaculture"

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The AquaMMS project will improve today's SoA by developing a robust and portable miniature mass spectrometer, which will monitor online a wide range of vital water quality parameters simultaneously. AquaMMS will be suitable for use primarily in land-based aquaculture industry, but other markets are also relevant including environmental monitoring sector and the water supply industry. This technology will provide the fish farmer with advance warning of a broad range of potential pollutants, like toxic metals, phosphates, nitrites, nitrates, hydrogen sulphide and geosmins. These pollutants can otherwise inflict chronic stress on the farmed fish resulting in disease outbreaks and/or poor product quality, which means lost profit to the fish farms. Most of these parameters are at present technically challenging to measure accurately on a regular basis and may only be analysed when problems arise on the farm and samples are sent for more comprehensive analysis at external laboratories. Q-technologies (UK) has successfully developed miniature mass spectrometry (MMS) technology for the oil and gas industry, and has seen the need and potential in developing and marketing a similar system for the aquaculture industry. Therefore, they have taken the initiative to propose the AquaMMS project by combining forces with the SMES, Faaltech (Ireland) and BAMO (Germany). Together, these SMEs will form the production and distribution chain of the product post project. Anglesey Aquaculture Ltd (UK) and Telemarks Roye as (Norway) will take part in the project representing the end user community and will act as a test sites for the developed technology. Anglsey Aquaculture and Telemarks Roye will benefit from improved production by using AquaMMS ahead of its competitors. The RTDs, University of Liverpool (UK), Teknologisk Institutt (Norway) and Cork Institute of Technology (Ireland) have been invited to perform the RTD work needed to reach the objectives.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An EU project will produce a new real-time, online multi-sensor monitoring device for the aquaculture sector. The device will use mass spectrometry and optical technologies to measure water quality in fish farms, particularly in recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs).

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Sustainable expansion of the aquaculture sector depends on reliable monitoring and rapid analyses of water quality. The EU-funded AQUAMMS (Development of a portable miniature mass spectrometer to monitor important, but technically difficult parameters in aquaculture) project is developing an innovative monitoring system that can support or replace equipment currently on the market.

In recent years the use of RASs has increased throughout Europe and around the world. This is due to its numerous benefits, which include reusing a large percentage of the water, thereby reducing water use, controlling effluent and minimising environmental pollution. These benefits can help give higher yields of fish.

However, unexpected water quality problems can develop as a result of using RAS technology. These include pH decline, rising carbon dioxide concentrations, and an increase in phosphate and nitrate levels or toxic metals.

Therefore, the new AQUAMMS technology will provide an immediate advance warning of potential harmful substances. This will enable appropriate action to be taken instantly, such as increasing oxygen flow or employing a particular water treatment to rectify the problem.

AQUAMMS will develop miniature mass spectrometer (MMS) technology and use it in conjunction with existing know-how on specialised membrane inlet and sensory technologies. This will enable the consortium to develop sensors with unique and wide-ranging capabilities, which can detect low concentrations of important contaminants and pollutants.

The system will contribute to organic production since actions influencing growth conditions can be taken before any pharmaceuticals or other chemical treatment is needed. This will enable farmers to promote a higher value organic product with the aid of eco-labelling, giving it an edge over imported products. Moreover, by producing more farmed fish, aquaculture will help to take the pressure off of wild stocks.

Land-based fish and shellfish farms, particularly those using RASs, represent the main market for the AQUAMMS system. However, a secondary market also exists, including municipal water supply and treatment, environmental regulators, food and beverage processing, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, horticulture and power generation.