Carbonxt awarded grant to develop red tide mitigation technology

Nov. 4, 2020
An activated carbon-based technology that addresses red tide events through the Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Initiative has been awarded $134,000.

GAINESVILLE, FL -- Carbonxt and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium (Mote) were recently awarded a $134,000 grant to further develop an activated carbon-based technology that addresses red tide events through the Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Initiative. In partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Red Tide Initiative was signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in June 2019.

Caused by algal blooms releasing toxins into the air and water, red tide events can devastate aquatic life, tourism, and residents who are sensitive to airborne irritants. Existing research has delved into how we can prevent red tide events, but never has there been large-scale effort to remove these toxins once they are in water. The award recognizes promising aspects of the current technology as well as increasing need for a solution to the damage already caused by such algal blooms.

The initiative strengthens important partnerships between industry and the experts at Mote Marine Laboratory. The goal is to leverage Carbonxt’s expertise in manufacturing scalable solutions to develop an effective technology for mitigating the spread and damage of red tide events. Carbonxt is the only domestic producer of activated carbon pellets in the USA, possessing broad expertise in the development, production, and application of activated carbon-based technologies. Mote Marine Laboratory contributes world-leading expertise and facilities to studying Karenia brevis, the algae responsible for red tide events.

President of Carbonxt, Regina Rodriguez, PhD, stated, “We are pleased to have our team selected to develop a technology option for red tide events occurring in Florida where our global headquarters is located. Carbonxt has been a solution provider for a diverse array of environmental issues and we believe we are in an optimal position to have a technology addition to our portfolio of specialty activated carbon products.”

“This Initiative allows us to bring the best and brightest scientists, technology developers, engineers, and more together in an effort to fight Florida red tide,” said Mote President & CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby, who also serves as the Chair of the Technical Advisory Council for the Initiative. “We know that addressing environmental challenges such as Florida red tide is paramount to protecting Florida’s precious marine ecosystem, and I’m looking forward to the advancement of these highly-innovative projects that will push the needle for the newer field of mitigating harmful algae blooms.”

An effective solution for red tide events must remove and prevent the spread of toxins associated with the algae while minimizing adverse impacts on other aquatic life. The versatility of activated carbon

makes it well suited for this application. This grant funds initial evaluations of the technology for its

effectiveness. Following this initial laboratory testing phase, the solution will be scaled up for testing

in larger vessels and eventually field tested during a red tide event if successful.

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