BALTIMORE, MD — August 12, 2026 — Nuquantic announced today the official launch of its portable environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling device, providing researchers, environmental monitoring organizations, wastewater professionals, and defense users with a lower-cost, field-deployable solution for environmental DNA collection.
Initially developed at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) by Dr. Peter Thielen and his team, and funded for commercialization through the TEDCO MII program, the Nuquantic device simplifies one of the first steps in the eDNA workflow: collecting and filtering liquid samples. The battery-powered system uses negative-pressure filtration to process water samples directly in the field, eliminating the need for bulky laboratory filtration equipment and external power.
“Environmental DNA is becoming an increasingly powerful tool for understanding what is happening in our environment, but collecting samples can still be expensive and cumbersome,” said Kelsey Abernathy, CEO of Nuquantic “Nuquantic brings the filtration process into the field in a portable, lower-cost package, making it easier for more organizations to incorporate eDNA into their monitoring and research programs.”
The Nuquantic device contains three independent pumps, each capable of filtering a liter of water in under 10 minutes. The system is designed for portable operation with an integrated battery system. Priced at $1,850 per unit, the device provides an accessible alternative to more expensive filtration systems, while giving users a dedicated platform for field-based sample collection.
Nuquantic’s initial market has been academic researchers, with beta testing and field evaluations conducted in diverse environments including the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Monterey Bay, Cambodia, and Norway. With the commercial launch, the company is expanding beyond research applications into environmental monitoring, wastewater monitoring, and defense applications.
For environmental monitoring organizations, portable eDNA sampling can support applications such as biodiversity assessments, aquatic species detection, ecosystem monitoring, and environmental assessment. In wastewater applications, eDNA sampling can provide biological information that may complement existing monitoring approaches.
Nuquantic is also developing the platform for field-deployable defense and biological monitoring applications, where portable sampling capabilities can enable users to collect environmental samples in locations where traditional laboratory infrastructure may not be readily available.
Researchers were the natural starting point for Nuquantic because they were already using eDNA to answer important environmental questions, said Abernathy.
“Now, we’re seeing an opportunity to take the technology into environments where portable sampling can have an even broader impact — from monitoring waterways and wastewater to supporting field-based biological monitoring for the Department of War,” she said.
The Nuquantic device is now available for purchase directly from the company’s website. For more information or to purchase a Nuquantic device, visit www.nuquantic.com
About Nuquantic
Nuquantic develops portable environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling technologies designed to make field-based DNA filtration more accessible. Its flagship device uses battery-powered, negative-pressure filtration to enable users to collect and filter environmental water samples directly in the field. The technology was initially developed at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and is being advanced for applications spanning research, environmental monitoring, wastewater monitoring, and defense.
Media Contact
Kelsey Abernathy
Info@nuquantic.com
www.nuquantic.com