PhD Proposal: Matthew Stromberg
Format: In-Person Presentation (with virtual option)
Matthew Stromberg, PhD Student
Advisors:
Dr. Upal Ghosh, CBEE and Dr. Yonathan Zohar, Marine Biotechnology
Title:
Abstract:
Agenda:
To keep up with skyrocketing seafood demand, aquaculture in the US and abroad must expand beyond traditional coastal culture methods and dramatically increase production. The major bottleneck experienced when bringing aquaculture onshore is the development of the off-flavor compounds geosmin (trans-1, 10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol) and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB)—particularly in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). These terpenoids give a “muddy” flavor to farmed fish, especially high value and popular fish like Atlantic salmon, (Salmo salar). Knowledge regarding the rates at which these compounds are taken up, eliminated, and biologically transformed remains unestablished. Depuration, the process of constantly adding fresh water to remove the taint prior to harvest, is the current industry standard. However, it remains an expensive, time-consuming, and an environmentally-unfriendly process due to the large amount of water used and discharged. Various advanced oxidative processes (AOPs) have been developed for commercial scale removal of off-flavor compounds and other applications. However, no comprehensive models exist to predict either the bioaccumulation or elimination of off-flavor compounds in RAS with integrated remediation technologies.
The proposed research aims to establish the basic rates surrounding off-flavor in Atlantic salmon, verify a new mathematical model for quantifying the impact of industry provided remediation technologies, and then use the model in development of a new remediation technique. Thus far, AOP research has been conducted using UV/TiO2 photocatalyzed OH- production for off-flavor mitigation. Briefly, the system proved ineffective in 15 ppt water, with the addition of O3 producing unwanted perchlorate salts and an unsafe oxidative reductive potential (ORP). The most successful trials in 0 ppt water included direct O3 dosing, O3 dosing combined with AOP, and H2O2 with AOP. Similarly high ORP values were produced with O3 in fresh water. Future work with off-flavor mitigation technologies will use indirect ammonia electrooxidation and a novel method for physiochemical removal via ‘Synthetic Lipid Extraction’(SLE).
Agenda
- 9:45 am: Meeting room will open
- 10:00 am: 45 min presentation will be open to the public with Q&A.
- Followed by a closed session with the committee and PhD Student.
