The Smell of Success
By Ally Sheller
Walking into the lab for my first day of measurements, I begin with noting the basic lab conditions - ambient temperature and humidity. Then it's time to lift the fume cupboard and observe the star of the show, our algae vessels.
As I record luminosity and peer into the varyingly murky or transparent depths of the feedstock I am met with a variety of scents. The green mildewy scent of a pond or fish tank, the acidic yeasty tang of a sourdough starter, the earthiness of mushrooms.
It's unsurprising an experiment on micro algae flocculation has a certain whiff. Whilst slightly unpleasant to work with, the smell is normal. We're working with live organisms - algae, yeasts, mycelium, and as they interact with each other the reactions create different smells, colours, and bubbling.
Of course, there is a point where a bad smell is a sign of contamination from mould or unwanted bacteria. But this will also be accompanied by visible signs of foreign growth or 'gone off' feedstock, which we'll be able to notice and address during our daily monitoring.
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