Design of Azolla pinnata culture system for remediation of aquaculture wastewater

Ahmad Termizi, Ahmad Nurfazly (2020) Design of Azolla pinnata culture system for remediation of aquaculture wastewater. [Project Paper] (Submitted)

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Abstract

A recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) is developed to reduce water usage and to improve waste management and nutrient recycling. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the ammonia removal by Azolla pinnata in water. The second objective of this study was to design a RAS which integrated the A. pinnata for the removal of ammonia in the RAS. In RAS, the nitrification process is the main process to reduce ammonia concentration but the process is less sustainable if compared to ammonia assimilation by plant. Therefore, Azolla pinnata is expected to be suitable to be used for ammonia removal in RAS. For the first experiment, the experiment was conducted using two treatments to measure and to compare the removal of ammonia by A. pinnata. The two treatments were: 1) pond water with added ammonia concentration (pond water + ammonia), 2) pond water with added NPK fertilizer as control treatment (pond water + NPK). The concentration of ammonia was measured by using salicylate method. Ammonia removal per day in each treatment was summed up until the last day of the study. At the end of the experiment, A. pinnata growth between the two treatments was compared. Through independent sample t-test, it was found that ammonia removal was significantly higher in treatment pond water + ammonia than treatment pond water + NPK. Growth of A. pinnata was not significantly different between the two treatments. The uptake rate of ammonia was found at 0.31 mg per g of A. pinnata per day for treatment ammonia and 0.12 mg per g of A. pinnata per day for treatment NPK. Integration of A. pinnata culture system in RAS was to improve ammonia purification level. From the proposed design of RAS, the A. pinnata was placed in the sump which would cover the total surface area of the sump and the A. pinnata would be able to remove all of ammonia produced in the RAS at hydraulic retention time of 160 min. The study has shown that A. pinnata could be used as water purifier i.e., to remove the ammonia released by fish.

Item Type:	Project Paper
Faculty:	Faculty of Engineering
Depositing User:	Ms Siti Mariam Giman
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2022 07:36
Last Modified:	21 Nov 2022 07:36
URI:	http://psaspb.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/593

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