Scalable production of hydroxyl and other potent radicals for aquaculture industries of Australia and overseas. This project also has far-reaching impacts on wastewater disinfection and other related industries.
In Australia, Atlantic Salmon (ASL) is farmed predominantly in sea-cages in Tasmania and in recent years (2015-2023), the farming of ASL has seen exponential growth in production and demand. The primary challenge in meeting the growth in ASL production in Australia is ‘Amoebic Gill Disease’ (AGD) which is caused by a species of amoeba namely, Neoparamoeba Perurans (NP). Freshwater bathing of ASL for 2-4 hr is the current recommended treatment for AGD. The recurrence of AGD after initial bathing and the presumed stress on the fish resulting from the long bathing time of 2-4 hr are key challenges in freshwater bathing of ASL. Additionally, collection of large volumes of freshwater from rivers and lakes (up to 120 ML/month) places pressure on freshwater resources. To date, alternative bathing approaches to treat AGD have been investigated including oxidisers, such as hydrogen peroxide (HP), peracetic acid (PAA) and sodium percarbonate (SPC). Preliminary studies of HP and PAA have shown mixed responses for freshwater bathing of ASL, whilst SPC did not demonstrate any positive outcome.
With Australian aquaculture industries’ ongoing efforts of sustainable business operation in post-pandemic period beyond 2022 targeting responsible use of chemicals and natural resources as well as alleviating fish stress during bathing, there is increased need for efficient use of oxidisers during bathing operations of ASL. In this regard, we propose hydroxyl radicals (HR), which is almost 2 times more potent than HP, to be employed in a continuous mode to treat AGD in farmed ASL in this project. Due to the high oxidizing potential of HR compared to most oxidisers including HP, the prospect of shorter bathing time as a remedial of AGD infestations in ASL is promising. The main aims of this project are:
Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Microbiology, Chemical Sciences not specified elsewhere.
School of Science
Experimental Chemistry | Water Quality | Aquaculture Technology