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Chelsea’s TriLux multi-parameter algae sensor has been chosen for use on abalone farm in South Africa!

13.01.2023

Excerpt: We are delighted to announce that our collaborators at Abagold Ltd and University of Bedfordshire have chosen our TriLux multi-parameter algae sensor for monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) on the inlet to their abalone farm in South Africa! Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are considered a significant threat to commercial scale abalone farming along the South African coastline and requires continuous monitoring. The GCRF Agrifood Africa project, ‘Developing a Resilience framework using Digital Innovations for the Aquaculture industry in South Africa’ aims to apply a cost-effective, sustainable solution to manage incoming water quality to aquaculture operations. The data from Chelsea’s multi-parameter algae sensor TriLux will feed into an integrated sensor network and be used to develop a mariculture model for predictingRead more

Phytoplankton: 5 Reasons why they are so important

22.11.2022

Excerpt: 1. Phytoplankton are the most important plants on earth! NASA called them the most important plant in the world. Why? They provide almost all of the Earth’s oxygen and serve as a vital food supply for most marine life. They are the grass of the sea: single celled plants that use the sun’s energy. As primary producers, with the process of photosynthesis, they supply food and oxygen for marine life. 2. Without phytoplankton, our planet runs out of oxygen Phytoplankton have been critical for controlling carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the atmosphere of Earth since the Precambrian Era. Figures vary, but estimates suggest that they are one of earth’s major primary producers, responsible for up to 85% of theRead more

What Is Blue-green Algae and Why Does It Matter?

11.08.2022

Excerpt: What is blue-green algae? Blue-green algae, technically known as cyanobacteria, are microscopic organisms that are naturally present in lakes and streams. Under certain conditions, blue-green algae can become abundant in warm, shallow, undisturbed, nutrient-rich surface waters that receive a lot of sunlight. When this occurs, blue-green algae can form blooms that discolor the water or produce floating mats or scums on the water’s surface. Blooms can also form on rocks, along the shoreline, and at the bottom of a waterbody. Blue-green algae blooms and the toxin they produce, microcystin, are known for making people (and particularly pets) sick. Blue-green algae blooms typically happen in mid-to-late summer. Warm weather and plenty of sunshine, as well as increased nutrients, are the keyRead more

Monitoring Algal Blooms, Maintaining Water Quality and Chelsea Technologies Solutions For Commercial Aquaculture

23.11.2021

Excerpt: Why would commercial aquaculture monitor algal blooms? Algae are essential for life on Earth and for commercial aquaculture. But when some species bloom, they can cause harm. Some 5,000 species of microalgae form the foundation of aquatic food chains, help control atmospheric CO2 levels, and produce roughly half of the world’s oxygen. The troublemakers are approximately 250 species that can produce potent toxins or cause harm through their sheer biomass; a particular problem in the aquaculture industry where the presence of algal blooms can cause all stock to be lost. What is a harmful algal bloom? Algal blooms can: • Produce extremely dangerous toxins • Create dead zones in water environments • Raise treatment costs for drinking water • HurtRead more

Protecting The Marine Environment In Our Changing World With Chelsea Technologies

11.11.2021

Excerpt: Why is global shipping rising? With so many stores closed during the Pandemic, consumers globally had no option but to turn to the internet to buy the products they need. The pandemic sharply accelerated the shift towards a more digital world and triggered global changes in online shopping behaviours that are likely to last well beyond 2021. A key thing to note is that this acceleration towards online shopping is a global phenomenonas is the new urgency protecting the marine environment: in developed economies, online shopping was already popular, but some of the largest increases were in China and India, with consumers in emerging economies making the greatest shift to online shopping, as reported by the United Nations Conference onRead more

Being Part Of The Solution: How Chelsea Technologies Research And Innovation Is Tackling Climate Change

09.11.2021

Excerpt: Why does Phytoplankton matter regarding climate change? Seen from space, earth is unquestionably an ocean planet; a beautiful blue marble serenely floating in a cold empty void. Standing at any shore, the big blue appears endless and even somewhat empty, filled with nothing but water. But below the surface, the ocean is in fact brimming with microscopic plants called Phytoplankton. If you were to take an empty glass and scoop up some water from the shore, in that glass you would have between 75-100 million Phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are the foundation of the aquatic food web, the primary producers, feeding everything from microscopic, animal-like zooplankton to the largest creature on earth, multi-ton whales. Small fish and invertebrates also graze on theseRead more