CEVA Center for Study and Valorization of Algae Logo

Nearest to the seaweed and seawater resources.

CEVA is equipped with 1,300 m² of offices, laboratories and hatchery,  a 1,000 m² industrial transfer unit, a 6 ha off-shore farm and 400m² of land-based cultivation facilities – all setup on the Pen Lan peninsula, nearest to the seaweed and seawater resources.

Each of CEVA’s three specialized departments  operates dedicated platforms and associated material resources to bring the best answers to the the needs of its customers and partners.

                        

The CEVA provides the necessary tools for monitoring water quality as well as malfunctions of marine aquatic vegetation and for the sustainable management of natural resources.

Field equipment

  • electric coolers (Eco Cool Energy)
  • quadrat
  • Hilux 4×4 vehicle

Aerial and ground shots

  • Nikon D90, D80, D7100
  • Nikear lenses 18-70mm
  • Fujifilm XP Finepix Waterproof Cameras (Built-in GPS)

Subtidal sampling

  • 2 oxygen probes Oxical-SL WTW
  • PH probe (WTW)
  • 3 mechanical currentometers G.O
  • multi parameter WTW Multi 197i portable probe: (pH, oxygen, temperature, salinity)
  • Bathyscope (Calfat Bezel)
  • Niskin bottle

Intertidal sampling

  • 8 Digital scales including Rapala 250
  • 3 Magellan Explorist 310 GPS
  • 1 Magellan Triton GPS
  • DGPS (Precision GPS) Pro Mark 2 Set
  • ASD Field Spec HH Radiometer Spectrometer

Security devices

  • Tango gas detector tx1 CO2
  • Ventis MX4 multi-gas detector
  • 4 sets of Sperian cartridge gas masks
  • 5 H2S gas detectors Gasbadj Pro I.S
  • 2 gas detectors H2S Is Tango TX1

Laboratory

  • ZEISS Axio Lab.A1 microscope and ZEN 2 software
  • binocular magnifiers

Experimental platform

  • 650 L incubation tanks
  • submersible thermostats (Rena)
  • cold group (Titan 1500)
  • UV lamps (Glo ®)
  • fluorescent tubes (OSRAM tube, 24 W)
  • pumps (Eheim Universal 1200)
  • tray support (250 * 90 * 80)
  • blower (bubbling system)
  • PAR probe (Quantum sensor Skye)
  • pH probe (pH 3310 Set 2 WTW)
  • Fisher Scientific Multi 197i Probe
  • HOBO Pendant® probe

The CEVA provides the tools you need for characterizing and managing natural resources, for developing and optimizing farming methods and techniques and for evaluating the production potential of targeted algae species.

Seawater pumping station

  • 6m3, 15m3 and 60m3 storage tanks with direct access to the sea
  • EDM distribution system in cultivation chambers
  • Filtration system up to 0.20 μm

165 m2 hatchery / microalgae and macroalgae cultivation room

  • Cultivation containers up to 340L
  • Cultivation devices for ecophysiology measurements (8-20L)
  • Temperature controlled containers
  • Cultivation round bottomed flasks from 250mL to 10L
  • Heat regulation systems for cultivation
  • HOBO probe (temperature / brightness)
  • Filtered air / Filtered seawater

Land-based cultivation systems

  • 250m2 outdoor space with circular basins of 880L and 5m3
  • 150m2 greenhouse space
  • Coldep Basins (13 and 30 m2)
  • HOBO probes (temperature / brightness)
  • Automated regulation / supplementation system
  • Harvesting systems / spin-dryer (dito sama 330tr / min)

6 ha cultivation space at sea

  • Authorized for the co-cultivation of seaweed, shells and echinoderms
  • Modular structure in floating rafts, each offering 550m of cultivation lines
  • Semi rigid boat (Pro Open 5,5m)

Laboratory

  • ZEISS Axio Lab.A1 microscope and ZEN 2 software
  • Binocular magnifiers
  • Horizontal flow hood (Esco Airstream class II)
  • Thermo freezer -80 ° C
  • Refractometer
  • PAR Quantum sensor

Application kitchen

 

Our new application kitchen is perfectly suited to host your food development projects :

  • A dedicated space, with professional equipment
  • A tool to “test and taste”
  • A co-creation space, ideal for ideation and formulation sessions with your collaborators
  • A convenient  accomodation for our workshops and trainings on the food uses of algae

new – FEDER 2020-2021

 

 

 

 

Laboratories

The CEVA operates several laboratories dedicated for specific analyses of algal samples, preparation of samples, extraction and transformation processes (hydrolysis, fermentation) in order to meet the requirements of our customers and partners.

The CEVA is equipped with a wide range of equipment to cover your needs.

 

 

 

Analytical equipment :

Liquid chromatography

  • 2 HPLCs, 1 FPLC
  • RI, UV et fluorimetry detection
  • Large range of columns
  • Size exclusion chromatogrpahy (HPSEC)
  • Fraction collector

 

 

 physico-chemical analyses

  • Viscosimeter (Brookfield)
  • Texture analyzer (Brookfield CT3) – new – FEDER 2020-2021
  • Physico-chemical measures (pH, conductivity, …)
  • Titrimeter
  • Analytical scales
  • ovens, muffle furnace

UV-Visible Spectrophotometry

  • UV-Vis Spectrophotometer with autosampler – new – FEDER 2020-2021
  • Range of colorimetry assays (enzymatic, chemical), turbidimetry
  • Kinetics monitoring

Microscopy

  • Optical microscope
  • Image capture and analysis software

 

Product and process development  :

Sample preparation

  • Drying (Thyrode, freeze dryer, oven, sand bath, dry bath, …)
  • Grinding of fresh or dry samples – incl. new Retsch Grindomix GM200 – FEDER 2020-2021
  • Dispersion (Ultra-turrax, Raynery, ultrasound bath, …)
  • Centrifugation (20×2 mL, 6×30 mL, 6x1L)
  • Vacuum Filtration
  • Dead-end filtration with Beco Integra Lab 140 P  – new FEDER 2020-2021
  • Mivac Duo evaporator-concentrator – new – FEDER 2020-2021

 

Extraction, hydrolysis

Extraction (aqueous, hydro-alcoholic, organic), chemical or enzymatic hydrolyses, … in batches of 1-10L

  • Agitated glass reactors (temperature control, pH)
  • 7×500 mL multi-station unit for screening (parallel extractions, enzymatic screening, optimization of hydrolysis conditions …)
  • Ultrasonic probe for assisted extraction (USAE)

 

Purification and concentration

  • Physico-chemical purification (selective precipitation, treatment with filtration media, decolorization, …)
  • Ultrafiltration modules (different volumes and batch sizes, membrane types)
  • Tangential diafiltration module
  • Rotary evaporators (1-20 L)
  • Freeze-dryer

 

Fermentation

  • Autoclave
  • PSM hood
  • Instrumented fermenter (2 L)

 

 

 

Industrial Pilot Facility

The CEVA has a technological hall of 1,000 m² dedicated to the study and processing of marine and terrestrial plant biomasses and can perform a large range of unit operations for the preparation or transformation of biomass (drying, grinding, extraction, purification, chemical and biotechnological processing …). This technological space is designed according to the forward flow principle, and operated under good manufacturing practices and within quality standards set up for each service.

A packaging room is available for the conditioning of sensitive products and cold storage rooms with a large temperature range (+ 6 ° C and -20 ° C) are available according to your specific needs.

Our operational units

Grinding (powder and fresh vegetables)

  • FORPLEX FL1 stainless steel grinder (300 kg / day)
  • NETZSCH crusher (0.5-5 kg)
  • URSCHEL COMITROL 3600 crusher (fresh algae and vegetables)

 

Homogenization / Mixing

  • APV high pressure homogenizer (1000 bar)
  • FRYMA colloid mill
  • RAYNERI stirrer on stem for from 100 to 200L containers
  • HOSOKAWA frustoconical mixer (20-250L / batch)

 

 

 

Extraction, chemical and enzymatic processes

  • 3 DE DIETRICH enamelled steel reactors of 100, 1100 and 2500 L
  • 1 800 L stainless steel reactor
  • 3 agitated stainless steel tanks (800 to 1000 L)

 

 

 

Solid-liquid separation

  • High speed disc stack centrifuge FLOTTWEG AC 1000 – new – FEDER 2020-2021
  • SWECO vibrating screen
  • Rotary sieve ROTOSIEVE
  • 2 SEITZ and FILTROX filter presses with hollow frames

 

 

Purification and fractionation

  • MILLIPORE ultrafiltration module with spiral organic membranes of 10 kDa and 1 kDa
  • AMICON ultrafiltration module with 10 kDa, 3kDa and 1 kDa spiral organic membranes (500 mL to 20 L)
  • PCI ultrafiltration / reverse osmosis module with tubular organic membranes (pilot)

 

Concentration and drying

  • Rotary evaporator HEIDOLPH Hei-Vap Industrial (20 L) – new – FEDER 2020-2021
  • Single effect concentrator  BROUILLON PROCESS (100L)
  • Ventilated oven with trolley/racks FRANCE ETUVE (1 m3)
  • CRYORIVOIRE Freeze-dryer (40 L)
  • Contact disc dryer ALLGAIER CDry-501 Lab (5-10 kg/h)  – new – FEDER 2020-2021

 

 

Filtration of seawater