Dr Pakkakul Sangsuriya reports on the first stage of the project she is leading on improving the welfare of shrimp post larvae during transportation involving trials clove oil and oxygen nanobubbles with Suchart Farm

The research team visits SUCHART FARM to apply the nanobubble system and clove oil for shrimp transportation

Shrimp aquaculture plays a significant role in Thailand's export economy. Ensuring high welfare standards in shrimp production is essential for maintaining shrimp health and improving the overall quality of the aquaculture industry.

AIT staff are testing the nanobubble equipment before running the experiment at the shrimp farm

Transporting shrimp postlarvae (PL) presents several challenges, particularly related to water quality deterioration, stress during transit, and mortality. To address these issues, a project titled “Investigating the application of clove oil and oxygen nanobubbles to reduce stress and enhance the welfare of shrimp postlarvae during transportation” is being led by Dr. Pakkakul Sangsuriya and Dr. Saengchan Senapin from BIOTEC/NSTDA. This project is a collaborative effort involving Asst. Prof. Ha Thanh Dong from AIT, Prof. Andrew Shinn, Dr. Ratchakorn Wongwaradechkul, and Dr. Barbara Hostins from INVE Aquaculture (Thailand), as well as Dr. Simao Zacarias from the University of Stirling.

The team is testing the nanobubble equipment at the shrimp farm

This research aims to explore how nanobubble technology, combined with clove oil, can improve shrimp welfare during transport by maintaining adequate oxygen levels and sedating shrimp to minimize stress. The experiments were preliminary conducted at Suchart Farm in Chonburi Province, with shrimp postlarvae transported to Bangkok over a three-hour period. Different groups of water were treated with nanobubble oxygen, with or without clove oil, and used for shrimp packing. The shrimp postlarvae were subsequently packed in plastic bags containing these different water treatments and transported.

The preliminary test has established the conditions for using nanobubble oxygen and clove oil for shrimp transportation. A subsequent study is planned to focus on longer transport durations, such as 6-hour and 24-hour periods, which will be reported soon.