Dr Pakkakul Sangsuriya (BIOTEC, Thailand) reports on a second round of field work on improving the welfare of shrimp post larvae during transportation involving trials with clove oil and oxygen nanobubbles
The middle phase of the project, titled “Investigating the application of clove oil and oxygen nanobubbles to reduce stress and enhance the welfare of shrimp postlarvae during transportation,” is currently progressing. Team members from BIOTEC and the University of Stirling conducted fieldwork at Thanachart Farm in Chonburi Province to evaluate the use of a nanobubble oxygen system combined with clove oil for transporting shrimp postlarvae. Shrimp postlarvae were packed in plastic bags containing nanobubble oxygen-treated water, with or without clove oil, and transported for 6-hour and 24-hour durations. After transportation, the effects of nanobubble oxygen and clove oil on shrimp fitness, stress tolerance, immunity, and disease resistance were assessed. Additionally, water quality parameters—including dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, temperature, ammonia levels, and Vibrio sp. contamination—were monitored both before and after transport. The collected data are currently being analyzed, and the final results will be reported in due course.
The research team visits Thanachart Farm to apply the nanobubble system and clove oil for shrimp transportation
Dr. Simão Zacarias observes shrimp postlarvae for packing and transportation.
The team is preparing nanobubble oxygen-treated water for shrimp packing
Packing shrimp postlarvae for transport
Sampling of shrimp postlarvae for further analysis, including morphology, swimming behavior, survival, stress testing, and immune analysis
Shrimp postlarvae were subjected to salinity and formalin stress tests
The morphology of shrimp postlarvae was observed under a microscope
Vibrio sp. levels in water before and after transport were measured
Shrimp postlarvae were cultured to determine the survival rate after transportation