I am a marine with research experience spanning tropical marine ecology, aquaculture, coral reef restoration, and experimental mesocosm design. I'm currently enrolled in a PhD program at James Cook University. I received an M.S. in Biology from Florida International University, and a B.S. in Environmental Science from Florida State University, where I also minored in Chemistry and Biology. My work has focused heavily on applied marine research, including sponge and Ulva bioremediation in tropical prawn aquaculture, coral and herbivorous crab restoration in the Florida Keys, and investigations into how temperature and dissolved oxygen affect sponge community structure and filtration.

The potential role of marine sponges in bioremediation and capture and detoxification of emerging contaminants: Applications in Aquaculture and beyond.

2026 to 2029

Project Description

This project investigates the potential of native Great Barrier Reef sponges to enhance water quality in aquaculture and environmental settings by targeting excess nutrients, organic matter, and emerging pollutants. Recent studies have shown that some sponge species can bioaccumulate microplastics and biochemically alter plasticizers, while others may act synergistically with macroalgae to manage nutrient loads. These traits suggest sponges could serve as effective, nature-based water treatment tools within aquaculture systems and in ‘at risk’ environments (e.g., adjacent wastewater treatment plants or aquaculture pens).

The research will be carried out in four stages:

Stage 0: Subject and analyte preparation – Sponge explants will be collected, secured to tiles, and allowed to heal. Standardized POM, DOM, microplastic, and plasticizer inputs will be prepared to ensure controlled experimentation.

Stage 1: Aquaculture implementation (JCU) – Experiments will test how sponges alter nutrient dynamics, POM, and DOM under aquaculture-relevant conditions, with and without Ulva integration.

Stage 2: Microplastics and plasticizers (AIMS SeaSim) – Mesocosm trials will assess how sponges filter and metabolize microplastics and emergent contaminants using LC-MS/MS, µ-FTIR, and clearance rate assays.

Stage 3: Bioindicator potential – Sponge tissues collected during Stage 0 will be analyzed to evaluate their potential as bioindicators of microplastic and plasticizer presence, and to assess their feasibility as long-term bioremediation tools.

Project Importance

By combining ecological function with applied aquaculture needs, this work will advance sustainable tropical aquaculture practices by mitigating harmful algal blooms, reducing pollutant loads, and exploring scalable sponge-based solutions for industry and environmental management.

Project Methods

Stage 0: Subject and analyte preparation
Small sponge explants (~100 mL volume) of selected native GBR species will be collected, secured to carbonate tiles, and allowed to heal and attach (~4–8 weeks depending on healing rates). They will then be maintained in 10 L individual tanks with flow-through seawater at JCU. POM will be prepared from homogenized and quantified cultured algal material, while DOM will be generated from filtered algal exudates and/or humic standards. Microplastics will be prepared using established methods from the Vamvounis lab, and plasticizers (BPA, DEHP, PFAS) sourced commercially. This ensures standardized, repeatable inputs for subsequent experiments.

Stage 1: Aquaculture integration (JCU MARFU or AIMS SeaSIM)
Experiments will evaluate how sponges influence water quality under coastal and aquaculture-relevant conditions. Treatments will test sponge effects on nutrient dynamics, POM, and DOM, initially with single-analyte exposures across environmentally relevant gradients. Sampling will be conducted at multiple timepoints (e.g., 0, 4, 8, 24 h) to quantify concentration changes. Where feasible, combined exposures will simulate more realistic conditions.
• Nutrients: Ammonia, phosphate, nitrates, etc. measured using simple reagent test kits.
• POM: Gravimetric (TSS/VSS) and elemental (POC/PN) methods, with turbidity and particle-size data as complementary measures.
• DOM: DOC analysis and optical indices (absorbance and fluorescence).
• Filtration/clearance: Rates determined using fluorescent microalgae and tracer particles, following established protocols.
Parallel treatments will test co-culture with Ulva to assess potential synergistic effects on nutrient and organic matter removal.

Stage 2: Microplastics and plasticizers (AIMS SeaSim)
Controlled experiments will assess sponge performance with respect to the removal of microplastics and metabolism of plasticizers. Sponges will be exposed to defined concentrations of microplastics and plasticizers under flow-through conditions, with parallel no-sponge controls.
• Microplastics: Quantified using fluorescence microscopy for dyed tracer particles, with µ-FTIR used to confirm polymer type in environmental or mixed-source samples.
• Plasticizers: Monitored in water and sponge tissues (e.g., via LC-MS/MS), with emphasis on uptake and potential biotransformation.
• Sponge survival, growth, and tissue accumulation will be tracked over time, providing applied validation of pollutant mitigation potential.

Stage 3: Bioindicator potential
Sponge tissues collected throughout the project (i.e., from initial explant preparation (Stage 0 - controls) and microplastics and plasticizers (Stage 2)) will be analyzed to assess whether pollutant accumulation occurs in sponges in proportion to environmental concentrations. These analyses will inform their potential as bioindicators for microplastics and plasticizers in coastal and aquaculture waters, as well as their long-term feasibility for bioremediation and monitoring applications.

Together, these stages provide a structured framework, progressing from controlled laboratory preparation to applied aquaculture implementation and pollutant-specific trials, culminating in an assessment of bioindicator potential.

Project Results

Project has yet to begin but am currently working a literature review with promising findings and hoping to start prelim. trials soon.

Keywords

Algae,
Aquaculture,
Bacteria,
Biochemistry,
Coastal development,
Commercial use,
Controlled Environment,
Coral reefs,
Interaction,
Management tools,
Manipulative experiments,
Mariculture,
Microbiology,
Pollution,
Porifera (sponges),
Rocky reefs