S2 Sustainable Solutions LLC

Micro/nano-bubble delivery mechanism of ecologically safe agents for burrowing shrimp control

Ghost shrimp burrowing in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor damage oyster beds by causing oysters to sink and suffocate, and the pesticide control option, carbaryl, is now banned. In response to Washington state’s direction to research more sustainable pest management for shellfish growers, this project advanced a bubble-based delivery approach for shrimp control agents in saltwater environments. This work was conducted in collaboration with the University of Washington’s Pozzo Laboratory and Massa Products, a leader in ultrasound design and production. The system aimed to bind substances such as clove oil, PyGanic, or Chitosan to stable micro- and nanobubble emulsions that could move into shrimp burrows while oyster beds were submerged. Underwater ultrasound transducers were intended to collapse the carrier bubbles and release the agents directly into the shrimp habitat, enabling treatment at high water rather than only during rare low-tide conditions. The work focused on refining emulsion stability and reproducibility, preparing samples for ultrasonic bursting tests, and considering how the materials could be produced and supplied at a scale relevant to Washington’s oyster industry.