ATLANTIS: Aquatic Technology Linked to A Novel Treatment of Invasive Species
Aquateam is RTD partner in a project of the EU's 7th Framework Programme entitled Aquatic Technology Linked to A Novel Treatment of Invasive Species (ATLANTIS). The project is running between 2010 and 2012.
Project Summary
The introduction of invasive marine species into new environments from discharge of ships ballast water has been identified as the 4th largest threat to the world's oceans. The UN's International Maritime Organisation has adopted a convention for a mandatory ballast water treatment system (BWT) on both new and existing ships by 2016.
Unlike other forms of marine pollution, such as oil spills, where ameliorative action can be taken and from which the environment will eventually recover, the impacts of invasive marine species are often irreversible. In addition, with 80% of the world's commodities transported by sea, there is an environmental and commercial need to develop an effective solution to the dispersal of untreated ballast water.
In the Atlantis project, it is intended to research and develop a BWT system using multi-biocidal delivery technology. The development of a BWT system, that will efficiently target and incapacitate a full spectrum of marine organisms <50µm. We propose to develop a high surface area substrate with multi-functional surface properties, enabling multiple biocides to be incorporated.
Visit the official ATLANTIS web site.
