Current Projects
Explore our current research focus areas
Phytoplankton-Enriched Concrete
Concrete is the most commonly-used building material in the world, but has a large carbon footprint.
Phytoplankton can be cultured in waste-based growth medium as a nutrient source, and capture carbon dioxide through their growth.​ By incorporating a phytoplankton admixture into concrete, the carbon dioxide emissions associated with making concrete can be offset, producing a more sustainable material.
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Compression testing conducted on concrete cubes has revealed that adding a phytoplankton admixture does not decrease the strength of the concrete. Additionally, phytoplankton-enriched concrete is just as effective at supporting the growth and colonization of marine organisms as regular concrete, making it a suitable material for reef restoration and coastal armouring.
Omega-3 Enrichment
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for human health and well-being. The existing omega-3 deficit is exacerbated by the (over)fishing and decline of their primary source, wild-caught fish.
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As the ultimate source of omega-3s, protists like phytoplankton and thaurastochytrids can be grown mixotrophically (i.e. combining photosynthesis and heterotrophic feeding) or heterotrophically on up-cycled, cheap, high-nutrient wastes. This project screens waste streams and food processing co-products as stimulants for protist production of omega-3s.
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Contributing to a circular economy, protist omega-3s will reclaim otherwise wasted nutrients, reducing both the cost to industry of disposal and their carbon footprint. As a dietary supplement or component of aquaculture feed, sustainable protist omega-3s will alleviate pressures on wild-caught fish and support human health.
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With protist omega-3s, we can have our fish and eat them too.
Spectral Signatures
Phytoplankton can be detected in their environment based on their optical signatures. Single-channel fluorometers that detect fluorescence from the green pigment chlorophyll an are widely used to estimate their abundance. This project focuses on use of multi-channel signatures that also target other pigments (carotenoids, accessory chlorophylls, and phycobilins) to distinguish between different phytoplankton groups, such as green algae; diatoms, dinoflagellates, and haptophytes; cryptophytes; and cyanobacteria. By improving estimates of phytoplankton abundance and diversity, this approach could enhance ocean monitoring, biogeochemical modelling, and early detection of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater systems.
Primary Productivity Modeling for Shellfish Aquaculture
In Nova Scotia, there is recognized potential for sustainable growth of the bivalve aquaculture industry. As filter feeders, bivalves rely on nutrient inputs from their surrounding environment. Thus, understanding the ecological carrying capacity of waterbodies in which bivalve species are cultured is key to ensure they are farmed sustainably. Primary productivity is an important model input for bivalve carrying capacity estimations; however, Nova Scotia lacks this data for the coastal waterbodies suitable for bivalve aquaculture.​
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This research addresses these data gaps through generation and calibration of a BZI (Biomass, Euphotic Depth, Incident Irradiance) model to derive primary productivity estimates. The project outcomes will inform development of an environmental monitoring program to derive primary productivity estimates at other mariculture sites in Nova Scotia.
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This project is funded by the Centre for Marine Applied Research through the Mitacs Accelerate Program
Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement
Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) is a novel carbon-capture technology, in which alkaline compounds (antacids) are dispersed into the ocean to reverse ocean acidification. This leads to a shift in the balance between carbon dioxide and bicarbonate, resulting in capture and long-term storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. We have tested potential impacts of simulated OAE on cultured isolates of phytoplankton, natural assemblages held in mesocosms, and natural populations during large-scale tests in Bedford Basin by Planetary Technologies.
