SELF-ASSEMBLED THIN FILM SENSORS FOR AQUACULTURE PROCESS CONTROL

THE RAPID INCREASE IN WORLD SEAFOOD PRODUCTION BY AQUACULTURAL PROCESSES HAS PLACED A COMPETITIVE BURDEN ON THE UNITED STATES FISHING AND FISH FARMING INDUSTRIES. ECONOMIC PRESSURES HAVE DICTATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH DENSITY CLOSED-CYCLE AQUACULTURE (HDCCA) UNIT OPERATIONS TO PROVIDE SEAFOOD PRODUCTS AT MINIMAL UNIT COST. QUALITY CONTROL IN HDCCA IS MANDATED BY THE COMPLEXITY OF WATER RECYCLING AND INTENSIVE FEEDING AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. AT PRESENT, WATER QUALITY SENSORS ARE AVAILABLE, BUT NO SINGLE SENSOR OR GROUP OF SENSORS IS SATISFACTORY FOR CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF HDCCA UNIT OPERATIONS. TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION THIS PROPOSAL SUGGESTS THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A NOVEL CLASS OF OPTICAL FIBER SENSORS FOR AQUACULTURE PROCESS MONITORING AND CONTROL. THE INNOVATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROPOSAL IS THE COMBINATION OF SELF-ASSEMBLED THIN FILM SENSORS WITH DYES THAT BOND CRITICAL CHEMICAL SPECIES IN HDCCA OPERATIONS. TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES INCLUDE EVALUATION OF SELF ASSEMBLED THIN FILMS FOR OXYGEN, AMMONIA AND NITRITE EVALUATION, DESIGN AND SPECIFICATION OF AN OPTICAL FIBER SENSOR HEAD AND FILTRATION SYSTEM, AND DEMONSTRATION OF AN ENGINEERING MODEL OF THE FIBER OPTIC SENSOR FOR EXTENSIVE TESTING DURING THE PHASE II PROGRAM.