Environmental breaches may now be minimised through the use of a Real-Time Monitoring and Alert System (RTMAS). This effluent monitoring and alert system, designed and implemented by members of the Department of Physics, Mona, monitors pollutants and other environmental parameters in a moving body of water and relays the data, in real time, via the Internet to a remote data storage system. The data can then be accessed via the web with the aid of a web-based graphic user interface (GUI).

The RTMAS will allow environmental agencies to more effectively monitor the terms and conditions of environmental licences or permits; allow companies to take real time corrective measures when pollution occurs and allow for evidence to speedily identify a guilty party when pollution occurs.

J. Wray & Nephew has installed the system at their Appleton Estate location to assist in automating the monitoring of effluent discharge from their factory and cane fields into the Black River. Real-time monitoring allows them to take corrective measures in pseudo-real-time when there are possible environmental breaches.

Members of the team: (l-r) Lecturers Leonardo Clarke and Dr. Leary Myres, with graduate students Stefan Watson (Physics) and Vincent Taylor (Computer Science) pose with the Ministry of Science & Technology's 2012 Minister's Innovation Award for the category Resource/Knowledge Valorisation.