ECIMAT provides advanced support for marine research, ensuring access to high-level resources and infrastructures. As the main marine research infrastructure of CIM and the University of Vigo, its mission is to deliver efficient services and guarantee the availability of the necessary resources. Para ello, implantó un sistema de gestión de la calidad basado en la norma ISO 9001, certificado por entidades independientes desde 2013.
In the following document you can consult the fees associated with each service: ECIMAT 2026 Fees
ECIMAT has the necessary infrastructure and specialized technical staff to supply organisms from the natural environment and cultivated ones, including collection and model organisms, different types of seawater and laboratory water, and culture media for microalgae.
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The Station also supplies culture media for microalgae, seawater subjected to different filtration treatments (20, 1, and 0.22 microns), sterilization (ultraviolet), and maintained at different temperatures (13°C, 18°C, and room temperature), as well as different types of laboratory water (Milli-Q and distilled).
NOTE: The service for breeding and supplying marine species of interest for research is certified in accordance with the ISO 9001:2015 standard.
ECIMAT has the necessary infrastructure to carry out marine research projects.
ECIMAT has several rooms and laboratories equipped with different infrastructures to carry out research projects and to provide its own research support services. In the Facilities section, you can consult the location and characteristics of each of these spaces.
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To consult the characteristics of each space or piece of equipment and request its use, click on the link “Request a service” and select the desired resource.
ECIMAT provides laboratory services covering everything from sample collection to processing and subsequent analysis. Sampling may be carried out either by the user or by the Station’s staff.
ECIMAT has the specialized technical staff and the necessary equipment to carry out histological processing of tissues, lyophilization, extraction, concentration and purification of samples of marine organisms, analysis of water samples, sedimentation or biological material and ecotoxicological bioassays.
The histological sample processing service covers all stages from sample dissection to fixation, paraffin embedding, sectioning, and staining. Users may request either the complete processing workflow or any of its individual stages separately.
Sample analyses include analytical determinations of water, covering both physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, phosphates, ammonium, suspended solids, etc.) and biological parameters (presence of coliforms), sediment sample analysis (analytical determinations of total organic carbon, organic matter through calcification, etc.), and biological material analysis (analysis of the presence of E. coli and/or total coliforms and other components in marine organisms).
The Station’s staff also has extensive experience in conducting ecotoxicological bioassays. Aínda que existen diferentes tipos de bioensaios e diferentes organismos modelo, os bioensaios máis habituais son os de crecemento de microalgas mariñas (Isochrysis galbana), embrións de ourizo de mar (Paracentrotus lividus) ou embrións de bivalvos (Mytilus galloprovincialis), bioensaios de supervivencia de misidáceos (Syriella armata), copepods (Acartia clausi e Tisbe bataglii) ou anfípodos (Corophium) e bioensaios de inhibición da bioluminiscencia (Vibrio fischeri) (mediante uso do Microtox).
To consult the characteristics of these services or submit a request, click on the link “Request a service” and select the desired service.
NOTE: The Sample Processing and Analysis Service is certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2015.
ECIMAT provides support in any scientific activity that takes place in the marine environment, from sampling of water, sediment, planktonic, benthic or pelagic organisms to oceanographic sampling.
To support any type of access activity in coastal ecosystems, the Station has support staff (professional divers and skippers), two vessels (a 5.5 m zodiac and a 7.5 m fiberglass cabin boat), a pick-up truck, diving equipment, biological sampling material (plankton nets, dredges, sieves, etc.), oceanographic sampling equipment (CTD, side-scan sonar, etc.), and a pier with a landing area and two mooring berths.
NOTE: The support service for access to coastal ecosystems is certified in accordance with the ISO 9001:2015 standard.
ECIMAT provides other types of support services for marine research that arise both from the Station’s experience in its different areas of work and from the specific demands of research staff.
Drawing on the experience of ECIMAT’s different areas of work (cultivation of marine organisms, access to marine ecosystems, sample processing and analysis, etc.) and the availability of a workshop and a maintenance service, the Station’s staff provide advice and assistance in all activities related to research projects.
The main support services include advice on the cultivation of marine organisms, experimental design, and the design and development of facilities or sampling equipment. This cross-cutting service is always open to users’ suggestions.
Scientific and technological services provided by CIM research groups.
