Freshwater – 1: Total water capacity: 43 m³. It consists of more than 70 tanks of various capacities and is used for educational and research activities. It is equipped with two groups of mechanical and biological filters, and three UV lamps. The system is also equipped with chillers for temperature control and photoperiod control systems. Finally, specialized air pumps distribute atmospheric air in the tanks.
Saltwater – 1: Total water capacity: 3,5 m³. It is composed of 24 tanks of various capacities. The system is mainly utilized for research in reproduction and aquaponics. It is equipped with 3 arrays of mechanic and biological filters, water heaters and photoperiod controllers.
Saltwater – 2: Total water capacity: 35 m³. The system includes 40 tanks of various capacities, and is mainly used for educational and experimental studies. It is equipped with three arrays of mechanical and biological filters, with two groups of UV lamps. Furthermore, the system is equipped with two chillers, as well as with temperature and photoperiod controllers. Finally, specialized air pumps distribute atmospheric air in the tanks.
Saltwater– 3: Total water capacity: 11 m³. The system includes 80 tanks and is mainly used for educational and experimental studies. It is equipped with four groups of mechanical and biological filters, and a main unit with UV lamps. Furthermore, the system includes a central chilling station and a temperature control unit. Finally, specialized air pumps distribute atmospheric air in the tanks.
Saltwater – 4: Total water capacity: 6 m³. The system includes 20 tanks and two groups of mechanical and biological filters, with a main array of UV lamps. The system is equipped with a central chilling system and a photoperiod controller. The specific RAS system can be used either for freshwater or for saltwater.
The laboratory possesses all the necessary equipment (glassware, reagents, spectrophotometers, pipettes and commercial kits) for the determination of the physicochemical characteristics of both freshwater and saltwater (Dissolved Oxygen, carbon dioxide, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, chloride ions, total phosphorus, BOD, COD, pH etc.)
The laboratory provides all the appropriate equipment for biochemical analysis (glassware, lyophilizer, HPLC, GC, GC-MS, gas analyzer, blood electrolytes, image analyzer, centrifuges etc) in aquatic organisms. Among other methods, a plethora of hematological parameters can be quantified (triglycerides, cholesterol, total fat, albumin, glucose, cortisol, osmolarity, hematocrit, red and white blood cells, hemoglobin, blood gases, blood pH, blood electrolytes etc.), carcass composition (fat, protein, moisture, ash), total fats, glycogen, ascorbic acid, moisture and other hepatic indices, digestive enzymes etc.
Stress level determination (acute and chronic) is vital for aquaculture, as stress intensity may hinder fish health and welfare. Its effects have financial impact on the farm, as well as on consumers. Stress determination may be accurately achieved via the determination of the concentrations of fish brain neurotransmitters. In the Laboratory of Applied Hydrobiology, liquid chromatography techniques (HPLC/ECD) are employed to determine the concentrations of serotonin (5-HT), its metabolite 5-HIAA, dopamine (DA) and its metabolites DOPAC and HVA, as well as noradrenaline (NA). 5-HIAA/5-HT and DOPAC/DA ratios are used to determine serotoninergic and dopaminergic activities respectively.
Finally, the lab conducts determination of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins in mollusks by application of a HPLC
The laboratory is equipped with all the appropriate hardware for the study of planktonic and benthic organisms (temperature, light and humidity-controlled chamber, high definition microscope and camera-equipped stereoscopes, image analysis, reagents) such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, mollusks and crustaceans.
The laboratory provides all the necessary equipment for extraction, amplification and study of nucleic acids (DNA, RNA). The equipment for molecular biology analysis is composed of a shaking incubator, refrigerated centrifuge, real-time PCR cycler with HRM, horizontal electrophoresis, nucleic acid photometer, precision scales, laminar flow cabinet, autoclave, pipettes etc)
The laboratory is equipped with all the appropriate gear for parasitological analysis (microscopes, stereoscopes, reagents) and preparation of fresh smears and fixed specimens
Appropriate equipment for field studies that includes portable hardware for the determination of physicochemical water properties, water and biological material samplers
