MSD Animal Health Launches Innovative Hyper InfusiO₂n™ Solutions to Improve Sustainability for Fish and Hydropower

MADISON, N.J., April 26, 2022 – MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today launched its line of Hyper InfusiO2n solutions designed to improve fish attraction and passage at dam facilities by efficiently supplying stable, dissolved oxygen throughout fish passageways.

Millions of fish migrate to their native habitats annually to reproduce but may face numerous barriers along the way. In the U.S. there are more than two million dams and other barriers that can impact fish population. Optimizing the environment around these barriers and increasing attraction to fish ladder entrances can help sustain healthy fish populations, as well as maintaining hydropower and renewable energy efforts. By partnering with hydropower and energy companies we are working together to ensure the sustainability of fish and energy. Unlike other oxygen injection technologies, the company’s Hyper InfusiO2n solutions deliver oxygen directly into water – making it immediately available for fish respiration by simultaneously removing other dissolved gasses at an approximate one-to-one rate. Consequently, oxygen supplied by the company’s Hyper InfusiO2n solutions stays dissolved for longer, particularly in turbulent environments such as fish ladders.

The stability of infused oxygen is also ideal for operations in warm waters, where maintaining sufficient oxygen concentrations can be complicated. “Our Hyper InfusiO2n solutions were developed to ensure sustainable hydropower operations while also supporting fish populations,” said Kasha Cox, global aqua commercial leader, MSD Animal Health. “This is a critical component of our environmental sustainability mission, and we are thrilled to bring novel solutions to conservation and hydropower communities.”

In addition to optimizing passage environments, the company’s Hyper InfusiO2n solutions improve attraction to fish ladder entrances by creating a downstream plume of infused oxygen. Fish gills have specialized cells that allow fish to detect and orient to areas of greater dissolved oxygen. Thus, the company’s Hyper InfusiO2n solutions may be used to supplement or replace attraction flows near passage entrances, reducing the need to divert water out of hydropower turbines which could otherwise be used to generate renewable energy.

“Our Hyper InfusiO2n solutions can achieve unprecedented levels of oxygen concentration – up to 442% without significantly altering total gas pressure, providing an additional tool to improve fish attraction and passage,”said Chris Beasley, aqua innovation lead for MSD Animal Health. “In one pilot application, fish passage increased more than 1200% over a four-year period following installation. The high oxygen transfer efficiency and durability of our Hyper InfusiO2n solutions also decreases operating costs and promotes long-term hydropower sustainability. Also, taking a One Health approach, MSD Animal Health is working with hydropower and energy companies to have a positive impact on fish health and well-being – as well as on the sustainability of our environment.”

The company’s Hyper InfusiO2n solutions are now available in a range of modular, scalable applications that can be customized to a variety of fish passage designs.

About MSD Animal Health

At MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA in the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., is the global animal health business unit of MSD. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, MSD Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. MSD Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. MSD Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.msd-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.