FREDERICTON, CANADA, Dec. 8, 2022 – LuminUltra, the global leader in applied molecular diagnostics, has seen significant increase in demand of its ATP BQUA test kits for validating the provisioning of ballast water management systems (BWMS).
Regulations introduced in the Ballast Water Management Convention of 2017 have set discharge standards for ballast water that must be met by 2024 via installed ballast water management systems. International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidance for commissioning testing (BWM2.Circ70) makes it mandatory to complete an analysis on different fractions of organisms using indicative analyses to verify the successful installation of these systems.
LuminUltra’s BQUA PLUS Ballast Water Monitoring Kit is a simplified, on-site testing method that measures ATP. It is the only kit that has been designed to meet the D2 standard for all three required fractions (≥50 µm, 10 – 50 µm, bacteria), with accurate results within 20 minutes. The solution has been validated in the field, confirming its effectiveness as an indicative analysis method:
- Bio-UV, a manufacturer of UV-based ballast water management systems in France, evaluated the LuminUltra BQUA kit and demonstrated consistent findings between the indicative ATP analysis and the more expensive and time-consuming detailed methods. The company now recommends the test to customers during commissioning.
- Orkney Harbour Authority used LuminUltra’s BQUA kit to confirm compliance of the ships in Scapa Flow, a body of water off the coast of Scotland. Because of the increase in vessels visiting their area, the Orkney Harbour Authority required a quick, on-the-day indicative analysis to test treated ballast water which would provide results within hours, leading them to the BQUA kit.
“We are very proud to be working with so many customers to help them validate their ballast water treatment systems with a fast, simple and on-board method,” says Carine Magdo, Business Development Manager with LuminUltra. “The regulatory landscape has evolved in response to the threats that invasive species pose to our environments. It is more important than ever to have accurate insight into what’s present in ballast water, and the efficacy of ship treatment systems.”
LuminUltra’s BQUA Kit contains everything needed to get started, including a simplified workflow, customer onboarding and training and robust technical support. “We are here to support our customers, from sample to result,” Magdo adds. “And we have ramped up our production to respond to demand, ensuring we’re positioned to support customers around the globe on implementation.”
Read more at luminultra.com/bqua.
