BASS-TREAT+: Defensive Publication and Prior Art Disclosure — Synergistic On-Board Thermal and Pulsed Electric Field Sterilization of Watercraft Ballast Compartments with Integrated eDNA Surveillance

This document is a formal Defensive Publication establishing prior art for the BASS-TREAT+ invention as of the date of this disclosure. BASS-TREAT+ is a permanently installed, boat-integrated system that captures, kills, and removes aquatic invasive species (AIS) from recreational watercraft ballast compartments through synergistic Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) electroporation combined with mild thermal treatment (40–50°C) in a closed-loop recirculation system. The invention includes: a 50-micron pre-filter for physical AIS capture and removal; a counter-flow heat exchanger powered by the vessel's engine coolant loop; an in-line PEF electrode array; a microcontroller with dual temperature sensors, ion conductivity sensor, and biological color-change kill indicator strip; an inspector-keyed solenoid discharge valve; and a disposable LAMP eDNA cartridge for species-specific real-time AIS surveillance with GPS-tagged cellular data uplink (Project SENTINEL). By publicly disclosing this invention in sufficient technical detail, the inventor intentionally establishes prior art to prevent any third party from obtaining patent rights over the described technology. A formal provisional patent application is in preparation.