Exploiting natural oyster populations through waste heat utilization

Oysters are filter-feeding organisms which can accumulate substances to concentrations far above those found in the surrounding water. Large acreages of estuary bottoms have been classified .as restricted for shellfish culture due to the presence of pollutants in the water and therefore, the likelihood of high levels of pollutants in oysters grown in those environments. Depuration is a natural process whereby oysters and other shellfish cleanse themselves of accumulated contaminants when they are placed in a clean environment. Recent studies have shown that bacterial depuration of oysters is feasible for the waters of Chesapeake Bay. Depuration is not possible, though, when water temperatures are below 10 °c. Furthermore, both the rate of depuration and the reliability of the process increase with higher temperatures for the 100 to 20 ° C range. Utilization of waste heat from power generating stations would allow depuration to continue during winter months and could improve the quality of the product during the spring and fall.https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsbooks/1134/thumbnail.jp