STTR Phase I: Safe Disinfection and Oxygen-Level Enrichment in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) Using Singlet Oxygen

STTR第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是解决循环水产养殖系统(RAS)消毒方面的关键健康、安全、成本和能源挑战。用目前的畜牧业技术在不产生过量温室气体排放的情况下，无法在更大范围内种植高质量蛋白质。密集RAS技术提供了一个可行的替代方案，因为它们能够在对环境影响最小的情况下生产高质量的蛋白质。保护鱼类的健康是该行业更快发展的关键限制之一。该项目将大规模提高粮食产量。此外，建议的技术还可以应用于饮用水。这项STTR第一阶段项目将推进循环水产养殖系统(RAS)中安全和低能量细菌消毒的技术，通过使用持久、低成本的方法产生单线态氧，分子氧的一种激发态形式。臭氧和紫外线是养鱼业的主要消毒剂，但它们价格昂贵、能源密集型，对鱼类和人员可能有毒；这推动了安全、低能源消毒的进步。单线态氧是一种有效的消毒剂，对病原体是致命的，对鱼和人类无害。该项目的主要创新之处在于，可以高效地产生单线态氧，而不会污染水，因为它不会持久存在。该项目将对反应物和产品的化学结构和质量传输进行工程研究。将开发详细的模型，以确定消毒系统的适当维度，以及了解单线态氧和病原体之间的相互作用。这些模型将是第一个在RAS的这种配置中将传输现象与吸收/解吸动力学相结合的模型。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this STTR Phase I project is to address critical health, safety, cost and energy challenges in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) disinfection. Growing high quality protein at larger scales cannot be done with current animal husbandry techniques without generating excessive greenhouse gas emissions. Intensive RAS technologies offer a viable alternative because they are capable of producing high quality protein with minimal impact on the environment. Protecting the health of the fish is one of the key limitations to a more rapid growth of this industry. This project will improve food production at scale. Furthermore, the proposed technology may be applied to drinking water.This STTR Phase I project will advance a technology for safe and low-energy bacteria disinfection in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) by using a durable, low-cost method to generate singlet oxygen, an excited-state form of molecular oxygen. Ozone and ultraviolet light are mainstay disinfectants in the fish farm industry, but they are expensive, energy-intensive and can be toxic to fish and personnel; motivating advances in safe, low-energy disinfection. Singlet oxygen is a powerful disinfecting agent lethal to pathogens and harmless to fish and humans. The primary innovation of this project allows singlet oxygen to be generated at high efficiency without contaminating the water as it is not persistent. This project will conduct engineering studies as a function of both chemical structure and mass transport of reactants and products. Detailed models will be developed to determine the appropriate dimensions of the disinfection system as well as understand the interactions between singlet oxygen and pathogens. These models will be the first to couple transport phenomena with absorption/desorption kinetics in this configuration for RAS.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.