Award Data

Viable Gear will provide proof-of-concept for a seaweed-based bioplastic to be used in manufacturing a compostable biotwine for marine equipment, designed to replace petroleum-based plastics. This addresses NOM-SBIR research topic area 9.3, The Changing Ocean - specifically to "support increased protection and restoration of marine and coastal habitats to enhance vital ecosystems", by helping decr ...

The marine microalgae Crypthecodinium cohnii (C. cohnii) contains high levels of DHA and DHA synthase enzyme (DSe) both of which may provide nutritional benefits to finfish for human consumption. Field Phyto-Nutrients LLC has developed a process for algae-based feed preparation where the algae is dried under low temperature (

Demand for seaweed products has dramatically increased in the U.S.; however, only 1% is met with domestic production. Expansion of seaweed aquaculture is crucial to protect wild populations from extinction by overharvesting, which impacts entire marine ecosystems. Current kelp aquaculture methods rely on harvested reproductive tissue, which is not sustainable. In response to NOAA Topic 9.3, Health ...

Many municipalities in the United States have begun to use impermeability measurements to incentivize storm water retention as part of the architectural and landscaping design process. These measurements are performed through analysis of high-resolution aerial photography and updated on an annual or semi-annual basis. The practice of using high resolution aerial or even satellite photography is pr ...

The recent COVID-19 world pandemic demonstrates most effectively the urgent need for near real-time detection of ambient airborne pathogens. It has been demonstrated that electrospray ionization, utilized in many mass spectrometers today, has the unique ability to capture bioaerosols non-destructively out of the air for subsequent interrogation. This proposal leverages on this electrospray capture ...

LIDAR is a powerful tool for the measurement and characterization of aerosols in the atmosphere. In battlefield environments, a wide variety of aerosol constituents and plume types are present. Traditional LIDAR analysis methods aim to characterize plumes in well controlled environments with a minimum of atmospheric clutter. To extend the abilities of plume characterization and identification in c ...

In 2017 the CDC estimated 35,000 American got sick from Vibrio parahaemolyticus transmitted by shellfish--a 54% increase. However, according to the co-chair of the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Commission, “Our current system of traceback is inadequate.... Records are lost. Handwriting is illegible. More than half of all traceback investigations fail because the information in the value chain ...

Many people recognize how critical it is to understand our weather, climate, and environment. Educators already use NOAA data and models in working with students and their communities as part of their teaching and outreach. With the exponential growth in data, however, many of them struggle with accessing and managing that data. Evolving data formats and computing requirements make it very challen ...

Coral transplantation is a primary management option for rehabilitation of degraded reefs. Stabilization (via adhesion, etc.) of transplants on existing reef or artificial substrates notably improves their survival rate. Improved underwater adhesives are needed for expedient and convenient stabilization of coral transplants with improved survival rate. A new hybrid organic-inorganic adhesive is pr ...

The threat of organophosphate (OP) chemical warfare agents (CWA) to United States military personnel is a persistent problem due to the relative ease of manufacturing chemical threats compared to nuclear and biological agents. Human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) has been identified as a probable bio-scavenger of OP CWAs that could be used to protect individuals that could be exposed to OP CWAs. The ...