Possibility of Using Flow Cytometry in the Treated Ballast Water Quality Detection

Abstract

In this article, monitoring of ballast water after its treatment by any of BWTS (Ballast Water Treatment System) on board ships has been analyzed. The efficiency of those systems has shown to be the major problem as there are no systems for tracking ship ballast operations. The overall aim of the study was to emphasize the necessity of monitoring the ballast water treatment on board ships and to propose a solution. The flow cytometry technology and applications of flow cytometers have been analyzed as well. The functionality and possibility of using this technology for detection of the treated ballast water quality has been explained. The results of the flow cytometry detection have been confirmed mathematically. The possibility of finding the remaining microorganisms in the treated ballast water has been calculated and the result was a very high percentage of 82%. The study presented in this paper aids in the understanding of how important it is for results of the ballast water treatment systems operation to be monitored since such monitoring is also in the interest of protecting the environment.