Modular Aquatic Analysis Chambers for Pollutant and Organism Studies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to analyze the behavior of aquatic pollutants and living organisms in a natural aquatic environment while isolating them from disruptive elements and maintaining natural physical, chemical, and microbiological conditions.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a hollow central body with interlocking end pieces and connection means, allowing modules to be connected in series, with auxiliary channels for nutrient, pollutant, and oxygen supply, and screens to contain organisms or pollutants, enabling both open and closed aquatic environment simulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If in-situ analysis device is used to study micro-ecosystems, then microorganism colony evolution can be studied, but regular analysis requires device removal which disrupts the micro-ecosystem through oxygen supply changes
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a permanent in-situ fixed part (central body with capillaries) and a removable analysis part (sampling chamber). This segmentation allows the micro-ecosystem to remain undisturbed in the water while enabling periodic sampling by removing only the analysis part, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement capability and ecosystem stability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If natural aquatic environment is reproduced in aquarium, then pollutant behavior can be studied, but unintended interactions with plastics, metals and chemicals influence results
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of environment reproduction by using a simple water-filled chamber rather than attempting to reproduce the entire complex aquarium ecosystem. This extraction approach eliminates unintended interactions with aquarium materials while maintaining the core aquatic environment needed for studying pollutant behavior.
3Ease of manufacture
If device is designed to study micro-ecosystems in capillaries, then microorganism colonies can be produced, but the device is not transposable to study various aquatic pollutants or macroscopic organisms
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines specialized capillary micro-ecosystem chambers with a universal analysis chamber that can accommodate various pollutants and macroscopic organisms. The modular design with interchangeable chambers allows the same device structure to serve multiple functions: studying microorganism colonies in capillaries and analyzing various aquatic pollutants or macroscopic organisms in the main chamber.
4Measurement precision
If researcher removes device from water to take samples, then samples can be collected for analysis, but each removal influences micro-ecosystem evolution through oxygen supply changes
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the sampling function into a removable chamber that can be detached without removing the entire device from water. This allows sample collection while leaving the main micro-ecosystem undisturbed and continuously supplied with oxygen, eliminating the time loss and disruption associated with complete device removal.
Data Source
AI summary
The device for analyzing an aquatic pollutant and/or a living organism in an aquatic environment. The analysis device includes at least one module and at least two closing end pieces. The module includes a central body defining an analysis chamber and configured to contain an aquatic organism of a given size and/or an aquatic pollutant. The central body is hollow and delimited by at least one peripheral wall, a first end and a second end. At least one closing end piece is open and includes an opening or is closed and forms a cap. The analysis device includes a connector and a mechanism for accommodating a screen. The invention also relates to the use of the analysis device, in particular in a closed environment or in an open environment with a view to reproducing a natural aquatic environment.