USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Bryan Travis Bjorndal

David Lapota

Gregory Wayne Anderson

A system for assessing the characteristics and toxicity of a water sample comprising: a test chamber; an optical signal generator configured to emit an optical signal into the test chamber; a first digital filter disposed between the optical signal generator and the test chamber; a first optical transducer disposed to generate a first data signal in response to detecting radiant energy in the test chamber; a second digital filter disposed between the first optical transducer and the test chamber; an aqueous suspension of dinoflagellates contained within the test chamber and mixed with the water sample; a stimulator disposed to stimulate the dinoflagellates to emit a bioluminescence signal; and a microprocessor operatively coupled to the optical signal generator, the first digital optical filter, the stimulator, the first optical transducer, and the second digital filter, wherein the microprocessor is configured to assess the spectral characteristics and toxicity of the water sample.

System for measuring and analyzing properties of water and sediment samples

A system for testing the toxicity of a test sample comprising: an aqueous suspension of dinoflagellates; a test chamber configured to contain the aqueous suspension of dinoflagellates and the test sample; an optical signal generator configured to emit an excitation signal for exciting the dinoflagellates to emit a fluorescence signal if the dinoflagellates are alive; a first optical transducer configured to produce a first data signal in response to detecting the fluorescence signal; a stimulator configured to introduce a gas into the aqueous suspension for stimulating the dinoflagellates to emit a bioluminescence signal if the dinoflagellates are alive; a second optical transducer configured to produce a second data signal in response to detecting the bioluminescence signal; and a processor configured to compare the first data signal and the second data signal to a control data to generate an output representing the toxicity of the test sample.

Automated, field-portable system for conducting toxicity measurements in water, soils, and sediments

A cartridge comprising: a container having a lower end; an aqueous suspension of dinoflagellates contained in the container; a gas port operatively coupled to the container, the port capable of directing a gas into the aqueous suspension in the lower end of the container; a gas vent operatively coupled to the container; and a shipping seal operatively coupled to the container to prevent the aqueous suspension from exiting the container.

Apparatus and method for providing live dinoflagellates for toxicity tests

A toxicity test system comprising an aqueous suspension of dinoflagellates; a test chamber capable of containing the aqueous suspension and a test sample; an optical signal generator capable of emitting an excitation signal, which is capable of exciting the dinoflagellates to emit a fluorescence signal if the dinoflagellates are alive; a first optical transducer capable of producing a first data signal in response to detecting to the fluorescence signal; a stimulator capable of generating a pressure pulse, which is capable of stimulating the dinoflagellates to emit a bioluminescence signal if the dinoflagellates are alive; a second optical transducer capable producing a second data signal in response to detecting the bioluminescence signal; and an analyzer disposed to compare the first data signal and the second data signal to a control data to generate an output representative of the toxicity of the test sample.

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Carlsbad, CA, United States of America

Bryan Travis Bjorndal