Water quality and environmental monitoring

We combine our expertise and equipment to offer water quality and environmental monitoring surveys. Our customers and partners include marine and coastal infrastructure organisations, governance and private sector companies in sectors including oil and gas, offshore renewable energy, nuclear energy and shipping.

Our expert scientists take an ecosystem approach to marine monitoring, where the interactions of all elements are studied in a holistic manner. With an extensive pool of equipment and excellent research vessel facilities, Cefas has also developed bespoke technology in house, enabling our scientists to provide the optimal configuration for data collection.

Cefas has an established international reputation for expertise in designing and operating autonomous monitoring systems, with applications including assessment of aquatic environments, flood forecasting, eutrophication assessment, understanding coastal processes and contaminant fate and transport.

Our water quality and environmental monitoring services are tailored to the specific requirements of your project, with methods designed to maximise the achievement of the project objectives.

Cefas SmartBuoys

Developed by Cefas, SmartBuoys are ‘intelligent’, multi-parameter and autonomous recording platforms used for the collection of marine environmental data. They provide long-term observations of physical, chemical and biological changes from the sea’s surface to its seabed.

With capacity to collect data on salinity, turbidity, oxygen saturation, chlorophyll florescence and nitrate concentration, added sensors allow the buoys to be tailored for specific project needs.

SmartBuoys provide evidence for eutrophication assessments, monitor change in marine biodiversity and offer improved understanding of environmental variability. They also provide improved model validation and testing, including on-site validation of remote sensing techniques such as satellite imagery.

Data acquisition is combined with real-time data transmission and interpretation tools, enabling widespread information sharing. Coupled with our web-based information system, these support informed decision-making. Cefas also provides SmartBuoys to external organisations and offers training on deployment, recovery and servicing methodologies.