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Project title

SMART Coast

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Dublin City University (DCU)

Lead Applicant

Dermot Diamond

Project Abstract

Environmental and water quality monitoring is key to measuring and understanding the chemical and biological quality of water and for taking reactive remedial action. Over the coming years monitoring of water bodies will increase within Europe in order to comply with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD Council Directive 2000/60/EC) and globally owing to pressure from climate change. The establishment of high quality long-term monitoring programmes is regarded as essential if the implementation of the WFD is to be effective (Grath et al. 2007).However the traditional spot/grab sampling using conventional sampling and laboratory based techniques can introduce a significant financial burden and is unlikely to provide a reasonable estimate of the true maximum and/or mean concentration for a particular physico-chemical variable in a water body with marked temporal variability. When persistent fluctuations occur it is likely only to be detected through continuous measurements which have the capability of detecting sporadic peaks of concentration.The use of in-situ sensors capable of continuous sampling of parameters offers the potential to reduce costs as well as providing more up-to-date information and better coverage representing long-term trends in fluctuations of pollutant concentrations (Greenwood et al. 2008). The ideal monitoring system of the near future might consist of a network of sensors deployed at key locations capable of autonomous operation in the field for a year or more (Grath et al. 2007). The data from the monitors will be communicated by wireless technology for processing and interpretation. Although some elements of this ideal system are in place ongoing research and development is required in several areas relating to both sensor development and field-testing.The SmartCoast Project co-funded by the Marine Institute & EPA (Grant Aid agreement No. AT/04/01/06) aimed to develop novel sensing technologies that can continuously collect data on water quality in lakes rivers and estuaries and transmit this information via wireless links directly to a computer delivering detailed data at levels that would be difficult if not impossible to achieve otherwise. This project established a unique consortium of partners comprising of two of the most relevant University research centres (the National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) Dublin City University; and Tyndall National Institute (TNI) University College Cork) together with an SME prototype development company (The National Microelectronics Applications Centre (MAC)) a specialist SME already operating in the water quality monitoring area (Intelligent Data Systems formally Marine Informatics) and two end-users (Marine Institute and South West Regional Authority (SWRA)) in a focused program of research that will contribute to establishing Irelandis reputation as a location for developing futuristic solutions to water quality monitoring issues.

Grant Approved

�451,890.00

Research Hub

Healthy Environment

Research Theme

Impacts on Aquatic Ecosystems & Human Health (including Drinking Water)

Start Date

n/a

Initial Projected Completion Date

n/a