Non-Equilibrium Short-Pulsed Discharge for Removal of Antibiotics and Pathogens from Water used in Aquacultural Facilities

Seafood consumption in the United States has reached over 50% per capita over the last 25 years with over 75% of total U.S. seafood consumption coming from import. Many of the U.S. seafood import sources are located in tropical areas where bacteria and toxin hazards thrive. This concern is exacerbated by the increasing trade deficit. In 2001, the United States imported $6.8 billion more than exported. Rising levels of worldwide aquacultural activity have led to intensified antimicrobial action, leading to some prophylactic antibiotic use, increasing the proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria in aquacultural environments. Additionally, higher stresses on aquacultural facilities has amplified the number of pathogens and organic toxins that threaten fish, bivalves, and other aquatic organisms of interest. Many water treatment processes can lyse bacteria, yet intact remnants of pathogenic genes are often released into the environment, eventually being taken up by other cells through natural transformation. With proof-of-concept validated in Phase I of this project, nonthermal plasma has emerged as a potential solution to this problem with its ability to reduce these residual genetic remnants. In Phase II of this SBIR project, AAPlasma will construct, optimize, and field-test a pilot-scale plasma system capable of treating industrial aquacultural volume.