A Novel Zero Discharge Intensive Seawater Recirculating System for the Culture of Marine Fish

Results are presented of a zero‐discharge marine recirculating system used for the culture of gilthead seabream Sparus aurata. Operation of the system without any discharge of water and sludge was enabled by recirculation of effluent water through two separate treatment loops, an aerobic trickling filter and a predominantly anoxic sedimentation basin, followed by a fluidized bed reactor. The fish basin was stocked for the first 6 mo with red tilapia Oreochromis niloticus × O. aureus at an initial density of 16 kg/m³. During this period salinity was raised from 0 to 20 parts per thousand. Then, gilthead seabream, stocked at an initial density of 21 kg/m³, replaced tilapia at day 167 and were cultured for an additional 225 d. Non steady‐state inorganic nitrogen transformations occurred as a result of these salinity changes. After day 210, the system operated at all times with those water quality parameters considered critical for successful operation of mariculture systems, within acceptable limits. Thus ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate concentrations did not exceed 1.0‐mg total ammonia‐N/ L, 0.5‐mg NO₂:‐N/L and 50‐mg NO₃‐N/L, respectively. Sulfide levels in the fish basin were below detection limits and oxygen > 6 mg/L after the oxygen generator was added at day 315. Ammonia, produced in the fish basin and to a lesser extent in the sedimentation basin, was converted to nitrate in the aerobic trickling filter. Nitrate removal took place in the sedimentation basin and to a lesser extent in the fluidized bed reactor. Sludge, remaining in the sedimentation basin at the end of the experimental period, accounted for 9.2% of the total feed dry matter addition to the system. The system was disease‐free for the entire year and fish at harvest were of good quality. Water consumption for production of 1 kg of tilapia was 93 L and 214 L for production of 1 kg of gilthead seabream. Additional growth performance data of gilthead seabream cultured in a similar but larger system are presented. During 164 d of operation of the latter system, maximum stocking densities reached 50 kgl M³ and fish biomass production was 27.7 kg/m³. Relatively poor fish survival and growth resulted from occasional technical failures of this pilot system.     

Identification of conditions underlying production of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol in a recirculating system

Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) are semi-volatile terpenoid compounds produced as secondary metabolites by benthic and planktonic cyanobacteria, several genera of fungi, and various actinomycetes. These off-flavor compounds pose a heavy economic burden in the aquaculture industry rendering fish unmarketable unless purified by purging with large quantities of clean water. In the present study, the presence of off-flavor compounds was examined in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for tilapia culture. In this zero-discharge system, where water from the fish basins is recirculated through parallel aerobic (drum filter and a trickling filter) and anaerobic treatment loops (sedimentation/digestion basin), concentrations of geosmin and, in particular, MIB were highest in the aerobic treatment loop. Lowest concentrations were detected in the anaerobic treatment loop. This latter finding pointed toward a possible reduction of these compounds in this basin. Two bacterial strains of the streptomycetes family were isolated from the aerobic, organic-rich, drum filter and the nitrifying trickling filter. In vitro tests with these isolates, closely related to Streptomyces roseoflavus and Streptomyces thermocarboxydus, revealed that MIB production exceeded geosmin production under all conditions tested and was significantly higher under aerobic than under anoxic conditions. Under the latter conditions, with nitrate as an electron donor, the S. roseoflavus-like isolate was capable of denitrification. Based on the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that aerobic, organic-rich conditions stimulate the growth of actinomycetes and subsequent production of geosmin and MIB in the system. The observed reduction of these compounds in the anaerobic water treatment component may serve in designing treatment steps aimed at alleviating the problem of geosmin and MIB accumulation in recirculating systems.     

Hydrodynamic characterization and performance evaluation of an aerobic three phase airlift fluidized bed reactor in a recirculation aquaculture system for Nile Tilapia production

The hydrodynamic characterization and the performance evaluation of an aerobic three phase fluidized bed reactor in wastewater fish culture treatment are presented in this report. The objective of this study was to evaluate the organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorous removal efficiency in a physical and biological wastewater treatment system of an intensive Nile Tilapia laboratory production with recirculation. The treatment system comprised of a conventional sedimentation basin operated at a hydraulic detention time HDT of 2.94 h and an aerobic three phase airlift fluidized bed reactor AAFBR operated at an 11.9 min HDT. Granular activated carbon was used as support media with density of 1.64 g/cm³ and effective size of 0.34 mm in an 80 g/L constant concentration. Mean removal efficiencies of BOD, COD, phosphorous, total ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen were 47%, 77%, 38%, 27% and 24%, respectively. The evaluated system proved an effective alternative for water reuse in the recirculation system capable of maintaining water quality characteristics within the recommended values for fish farming and met the Brazilian standards for final effluent discharges with exception of phosphorous values.     

Design and operations of fine media fluidized bed biofilters for meeting oligotrophic water requirements

Fine media fluidized bed biofilters (FBB) have some unique characteristics, which become very important when extremely high water quality is required. They provide greater surface area per unit volume than other fixed film biofilters and are capable of operating as a plug flow on the liquid phase and mixed flow on the biological phase type reactor. As the concentration of pollutants decreases in an aquaculture system, the removal rate per unit surface area in a biofilter decreases, hence being able to obtain very high surface areas per unit cost becomes critical. As the concentration further decreases, conventional bioreactors that are either, mixed flow biological phase and mixed flow liquid phase (i.e. moving bed type reactor), or plug flow liquid and fixed biological phase (trickling filter or submerged filter) reach the minimum substrate concentration (S_Min), below which the bacteria cannot grow under steady state conditions. However, in a fine media FBB the discharge concentration can be below S_Min. This allows filters to be designed and operated in commercial aquaculture settings with over 90% removal of NH₃, and related biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) per pass. Fine media FBBs can be designed and operated for biological removal of 99.95% of slow biodegrading refractory organic pollutants like methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in a single pass with discharge concentrations <1 ppb (inlet 2000 ppb, 20 min contact time, S_Min = 20 ppb). The details of how and why these high performances at low concentrations are possible and why this oligotrophic water quality is desirable for maturation and larva rearing will be discussed.     

Start-up of a “zero-discharge” recirculating aquaculture system using woodchip denitrification,constructed wetland,and sand infiltration

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) discharge management limits the development of the aquaculture sector, because RAS do not automatically result in low nutrient emissions. Research has helped develop discharge management systems such as wetlands and woodchip bioreactors that have been adopted by Danish commercial model trout farms. To further develop the Danish concept, we have modelled and built a novel “zero-discharge” recirculating aquaculture system with an annual capacity of approximately 14 tonnes. The aim of this paper is to describe the entire concept and present the results from the start-up phase of the whole system. The concept includes the treatment of RAS effluent (overflow and sludge supernatant) using a hybrid solution of a woodchip bioreactor, constructed vertical wetland, and sand infiltration. Using this three-step process, the nitrate, phosphorus, and organic matter effluent are decreased to acceptable levels to reuse the water in the RAS process reducing the need for new raw water. In the first nine months of operation, a water treatment field was used as an end-of-pipe treatment to ensure the water was safe to recirculate for fish. During the winter, the water temperature dropped to 2.7 degrees in the sand filter, but the frost did not reach the water levels in any of the treatment processes. It therefore appears that a hybrid solution can operate sufficiently even in winter conditions. In the first year of operation, a woodchip bioreactor can remove 97 % of the nitrate, although the slow start-up of the RAS caused the bioreactor to be N-limited. On average, 79 % and 92 % of the inflow phosphate concentration was removed in the woodchip bioreactor and the entire hybrid treatment field respectively. The wetland and sand filter removed organic matter sufficiently (35 %), but because of the longer than designed actual water residence, it leached from the bioreactor more than was expected. Further experimentation is needed to identify the financial applicability and performance during higher feeding rates.     

Use of fluidized bed biofilter and immobilized Rhodopseudomonas palustris for ammonia removal and fish health maintenance in a recirculation aquaculture system

Intensive recirculating aquaculture relies on biofilters to sustain satisfactory water quality in the system. Fluidized bed and immobilized cell technologies were used to remove ammonia from the water and maintain fish health. A high‐rate nitrifying fluidized bed biofilter combined with valveless filter was designed for use in a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS). The suspended solids produced during fish culture could automatically be removed using a valveless filter. Natural porosity with fitting proportion, steady fluidization and expanding rate was chosen as the fluidized carrier. The technology of bacterial separation and cultivation was used. The immobilized Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. palustris) produced through a biotechnologically embedding medium is suitable for fish and could help prevent diseases. Nitrification was promoted through the selective rearing of nitrobacteria in a fluidized bed biofilter. Water quality was improved using fluidized bed biofilter and immobilized R. palustris in the RAS. In addition, the proposed system was able to reduce costs. Maximum fish load was 45 ± 3 kg m^?3 in the closed recirculating water fish culture system, and water use was reduced by 80–90%. The total ammonia nitrogen removal rate of the technology was 80–95%, and nitrite N removal rate was above 80%.     

Effect of different C/N ratios and hydraulic retention times on denitrification in saline,recirculating aquaculture system effluents

Data on operation and performance of cost-effective solutions for end-of-pipe removal of nitrate from land-based saltwater recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are scarce but increasingly requested by the aquaculture industry. This study investigated the performance of a (semi)commercial-scale fixed-bed denitrification unit using single sludge for treating effluent from a commercial, saltwater RAS used for production of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). A fixed-bed denitrification reactor was fed continuously with 3-days hydrolyzed sludge from the commercial RAS, and was operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs; 1.82, 3.64, 5.46, or 7.28 h) or influent C/N ratios (3, 5, 7, or 10). Twenty-four h pooled samples were collected from the inflowing RAS water and the hydrolyzed sludge as well as from the denitrification reactor outlet, and samples were analyzed for nutrients and organic matter content.Nitrate removal rates increased consistently with decreasing HRT (from 64.3 ± 5.2–162.7 ± 22.0 g NO₃-N/m³/d within the HRTs tested) at non-limiting C/N ratios, while nitrate removal efficiencies decreased (from 99.6 ± 0.3–58.2 ± 8.9 %). With increasing influent C/N ratios at constant HRT (3.64 h), nitrate removal rates increased until the removal efficiency was close to 100 % and nitrate concentration in the denitrification reactor became rate-limiting. A maximum nitrate removal rate of 162.7 ± 2.0 g NO₃-N/m³/d was achieved at a HRT of 1.82 h and an influent C/N of 6.6 ± 0.5, while the most efficient use of hydrolyzed sludge (0.19 ± 0.02 g NO₃-N removed/g sCOD supplied) was obtained with a HRT of 3.64 h and a C/N ratio of 2.9. Removal rates of organic matter significantly and consistently increased with decreasing HRT and increasing C/N ratio. In addition, reducing HRT and increasing C/N ratios significantly improved removal of total phosphorus (TP) and PO₄-P.In conclusion, optimal management of the operating parameters (HRT and C/N ratio) in a single-sludge denitrification process can significantly reduce the discharge of nitrogen, organic matter, and phosphorous from land-based saltwater RAS and thus contribute to increased sustainability.     

Alum residuals as a low technology for phosphorus removal from aquaculture processing water

Aquaculture process waters are often scrutinized for loading phosphorus discharges into surface water. With the growing regulatory control of discharge from aquaculture process industries, it has become very important to address low cost and effective technological solution for aquaculture facilities. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of alum residuals, which were generated during drinking water treatment for adsorption of phosphorus from aquaculture process water. Alum residuals were dried using an oven at 105 °C for 24 h. Particle size (d₆₀) was similar to conventional adsorbent, granular activated carbon. Bench scale experiments (batch and fixed bed column tests) were conducted using oven dried alum residuals. Fixed bed column tests also looked at the effect of influent pH on the effectiveness of oven dried alum residuals. Experimental results observed phosphorus removal of 94–99% using an alum residuals concentration of 4–16 g/L. Freundlich adsorption isotherm was effective in explaining partitioning among solid and liquid phases. Oven dried alum residuals were a better adsorbent for orthophosphate phosphorus than total phosphorus. Effluent pH levels for both batch and fixed bed column tests were within range of 6–9 for most of the samples tested and therefore, suitable for surface water disposal. There were no effects of pH observed on the breakthrough pore volume processed during fixed bed column test. There was aluminum leaching from oven dried alum residuals, however, not high enough to cause toxicity for aquatic species if disposed in surface water. Oven dried alum residuals were also able to adsorb organic matter from aquaculture process water. The effluent BOD₅ was below 30 mg/L for most of the samples with an exception of a few samples where BOD₅ was beyond the limit for surface water disposal guidelines. The results indicated that oven dried alum residuals have potential to provide a technological solution for small aquaculture facilities.     

Performance characteristics of fluidised bed biofilters in a novel laboratory-scale recirculation system for rainbow trout: nitrification rates, oxygen consumption and sludge collection

A laboratory-scale recirculating aquaculture system for fluidised bed biofilter evaluation was engineered. The design included all components found in typical full-scale commercial production systems. The system included two identical units each with oxygenation, UV treatment, cooling, biofiltration and a particulates separation device. Water from the two systems was mixed in a degassing unit. A 1 month test period after biofilter maturation revealed stable concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite and nitrate within the system. Mean nitrification rate was 0.27 and 0.21 g TAN m⁻² day⁻¹. Oxygen consumption in the biofilters ranged between 56 and 64% due to nitrifying activity. Mass balances on nitrogen indicated that 48%, added via the feed, was converted to nitrate within the system, with 6% of the added nitrogen being found in the sludge. The remaining 43% was either used during fish growth, left the system, as organic nitrogenous compounds (or unidentified nitrogenous compounds), via the outlet, or was lost to the atmosphere. At least 61% of the nitrate produced was generated by the biofilters. The system proved to be an exceptional set-up for evaluation of the performance of fluidised bed biofilters, allowing both pre- and post-filter measurements of various water quality criteria.     

Anaerobic Treatment of Brackishwater Aquaculture Sludge: An Alternative to Waste Stabilization Ponds

Environmental pressure, land utilization, and economic feasibility have resulted in the development of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). For many RAS, sludge is collected and washed from the system to waste stabilization ponds (WSPs). However, disposal of brackishwater aquaculture sludge into WSP is often prohibited because the high salinity can interfere with treatment. Moreover, there are problems associated with WSPs because of elevated salt content, such as the common practice of reusing treated water and land application of stabilized sludge. We tested and compared the treatment of brackishwater aquaculture sludge in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor as an alternative to a WSP. In UASB, wastewater flows upward through a blanket of granular sludge and is treated by anaerobic micro‐organisms. Reduction in organic matter and 5‐d biochemical oxygen demand by 97 and 91%, respectively, was achieved in a UASB as compared to corresponding reductions of 22 and 41% in a WSP. During the UASB digestion process, methane is produced and recovered. Overall, a reduction in potential environmentally harmful factors such as salinization, land requirements, greenhouse gas emissions, as well as transportation costs are achieved, making the UASB reactor an attractive possible alternative for saline aquaculture sludge management.     

Seasonal Changes in Water Quality in Commercial Channel Catfish Ponds in Mississippi

Selected water quality variables were measured at monthly intervals for 1 yr in 10 commercial channel catfish ponds in northwest Mississippi. Temporal changes in most variables appeared to be related to seasonal periodicity of phytoplankton abundance. Phytoplankton standing crops and total organic matter were highest in summer months when primary production was favored by warm water temperatures, high solar irradiance, and large inputs of nutrients resulting from high summer fish feed allowances. As day length, water temperature, and feed inputs decreased in autumn and winter, phytoplankton abundance and organic matter concentrations decreased. Seasonal changes in total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations were similar to phytoplankton abundance because much of the total nitrogen and phosphorus was contained within phytoplankton cells. Contrasting to the seasonal trend for total nitrogen, concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen were lowest in the summer and highest in the cooler months. Rapid assimilation by phytoplankton served to maintain relatively low concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen during the summer despite highest nitrogen loading rates during that period. Low water temperatures and generally less favorable conditions for phytoplankton growth decreased rates of nitrogen assimilation in the winter and ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate accumulated. Soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations were low throughout the year because physico-chemical processes, such as precipitation and adsorption to bottom muds acted to continually remove inorganic phosphorus from the water column.     

Limnology of Macrobrachium amazonicum grow‐out ponds subject to high inflow of nutrient‐rich water and different stocking and harvest management

We evaluated the water characteristics and particle sedimentation in Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller 1862) grow‐out ponds supplied with a high inflow of nutrient‐rich water. Prawns were subject to different stocking and harvesting strategies: upper‐graded juveniles, lower‐graded juveniles, non‐graded juveniles+selective harvesting and traditional farming (non‐grading juveniles and total harvest only). Dissolved oxygen, afternoon N‐ammonia and N‐nitrate and soluble orthophosphate were lower in the ponds in comparison with inflow water through the rearing cycle. Ponds stocked with the upper population fraction of graded prawns showed higher turbidity, total suspended solids and total Kjeldahl nitrogen than the remaining treatments. An increase in the chemical oxygen demand:biochemical oxygen demand ratio from inlet (4.9) to pond (7.1–8.0) waters indicated a non‐readily biodegradable fraction enhancement in ponds. The sedimentation mean rate ranged from 0.08 to 0.16 mm day^?1 and sediment contained >80% of organic matter. The major factors affecting pond ecosystem dynamic were the organic load (due to primary production and feed addition) and bioturbation caused by stocking larger animals. Data suggest that M. amazonicum grow‐out in ponds subjected to a high inflow of nutrient‐rich water produce changes in the water properties, huge accumulation of organic sediment at the pond bottom and non‐readily biodegradable material in the water column. However, the water quality remains suitable for aquaculture purposes. Therefore, nutrient‐rich waters, when available, may represent a source of unpaid nutrients, which may be incorporated into economically valued biomass if managed properly.     

海藻酸钠固定化微生物处理淡水水产养殖废水可行性研究

通过海藻酸钠固定化微生物小球对淡水养殖废水中活性磷、氨态氮、硝态氮、亚硝氮、化学需氧量质量浓度的影响,研究海藻酸钠固定化微生物处理淡水养殖废水的可行性。结果显示,海藻酸钠小球在养殖废水中极易溶解,不仅造成水体浑浊,且原生动物等可能以海藻酸钠为营养基而大量繁殖,进而导致水体缺氧,化学需氧量、氨氮等质量浓度不降反升,固定化微生物对废水的净化作用则难以显现。由此可见,以海藻酸钠为材料进行微生物固定化不适用于淡水养殖废水的净化处理。     

Design and operation of nitrifying trickling filters in recirculating aquaculture: A review

This review deals with the main mechanisms and parameters affecting design and performance of trickling filters in aquaculture. Relationships between nitrification rates and easily accessible process parameters, like bulk phase concentration of TAN, O₂, organic matter (COD), nitrite, temperature, HCO₃⁻, pH and the hydraulic loading of the trickling filter, are discussed in relation to the design and operation of such filters. Trickling filter design procedures are presented and one of them, a model describing the nitrification performance of trickling filters by plug-flow characteristics, is discussed in greater detail. Finally, practical aspects in relation to filter design and operation are presented.     

Comparing denitrification rates and carbon sources in commercial scale upflow denitrification biological filters in aquaculture

Aerobic biological filtration systems employing nitrifying bacteria to remediate excess ammonia and nitrite concentrations are common components of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). However, significant water exchange may still be necessary to reduce nitrate concentrations to acceptable levels unless denitrification systems are included in the RAS design. This study evaluated the design of a full scale denitrification reactor in a commercial culture RAS application. Four carbon sources were evaluated including methanol, acetic acid, molasses and Cerelose™, a hydrolyzed starch, to determine their applicability under commercial culture conditions and to determine if any of these carbon sources encouraged the production of two common “off-flavor” compounds, 2-methyisoborneol (MIB) or geosmin. The denitrification design consisted of a 1.89 m³ covered conical bottom polyethylene tank containing 1.0 m³ media through which water up-flowed at a rate of 10 lpm. A commercial aquaculture system housing 6 metric tonnes of Siberian sturgeon was used to generate nitrate through nitrification in a moving bed biological filter. All four carbon sources were able to effectively reduce nitrate to near zero concentrations from influent concentrations ranging from 11 to 57 mg/l NO₃–N, and the maximum daily denitrification rate was 670–680 g nitrogen removed/m³ media/day, regardless of the carbon source. Although nitrite production was not a problem once the reactors achieved a constant effluent nitrate, ammonia production was a significant problem for units fed molasses and to a less extent Cerelose™. Maximum measured ammonia concentrations in the reactor effluents for methanol, vinegar, Cerelose™ and molasses were 1.62 ± 0.10, 2.83 ± 0.17, 4.55 ± 0.45 and 5.25 ± 1.26 mg/l NH₃–N, respectively. Turbidity production was significantly increased in reactors fed molasses and to a less extent Cerelose™. Concentrations of geosmin and MIB were not significantly increased in any of the denitrification reactors, regardless of carbon source. Because of its very low cost compared to the other sources tested, molasses may be an attractive carbon source for denitrification if issues of ammonia production, turbidity and foaming can be resolved.     

Inflow and outflow water quality control in coastal aquaculture systems: a case study

Coastal water bodies are a particularly heterogeneous resource, typified by high spatial and temporal variability that could influence the aquaculture in coastal zones. However, the development of coastal aquaculture may produce negative impacts on the coastal area by the potential release of nutrients and organic matter that can be a source of pollution in receiving waters. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the performance of constructed wetland in controlling the dynamics of deoxygenating matter (organic matter and ammonia) and eutrophicating matter [organic matter and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP)] in the waters entering (inflow) and flowing out (outflow) from a coastal aquaculture fish farm. We observed that constructed wetland systems are effective in removing fractions of total suspended solids, COD, total ammonia nitrogen and SRP contained in the inflow water with higher efficiency in the spring period (60.37%, 14.89%, 65.38% and 17.6% respectively) than in the summer period (45.10%, 8.06%, 32.43% and 8.00% respectively). Similar pattern was recorded for the treatment of the outflow waters, showing that the wetland system reduced most of the deoxygenating and eutrophicating matter produced as a consequence of feeding and fish metabolic activity. During the summer season, high algae mortality can reduce the performance of the wetland system in the outflow water control; this lower efficiency could be improved by controlling the biomass of algae by vegetation harvesting.     

Sediment Quality in Arkansas Bait Minnow Ponds

Sediment cores were collected from 7-yr-old, 20- to 25-yr-old, and 30- to 35-yr-old ponds at a bait minnow farm at Lonoke, Arkansas, USA. Average depths of soft sediment (S and M horizons) were 8 cm in young ponds, 12 em in intermediate-age ponds, and 26 cm in old ponds. Organic carbon concentrations in sediment were low to moderate (1–2%) and carbon to nitrogen ratios were wide (20–50). Phosphorus and sulfur concentrations increased as ponds aged. Most of the phosphorus (78.9%) was in organic form, but sulfur was primarily inorganic in form (presumably iron sulfide). There appears to be two major problems associated with sediment accumulation over time. Deep, soft sediment interferes with pond management and especially with harvest. High phosphorus concentration in old sediment may contribute to dense phytoplankton blooms by supplying phosphorus to the water. Sodium nitrate treatment did not increase the rate of sediment organic matter decomposition in laboratory trials and would not be expected to enhance the degradation of sediment organic matter in ponds. The best method for improving the condition of bottoms in older bait minnow ponds probably is to remove the sediment.     

Chemistry of Sediment Pore Water in Aquaculture Ponds Built on Clayey Ultisols at Auburn, Alabama

The composition of sediment pore water was determined for ponds constructed on clayey Ultisols at Auburn, Alabama. Pore water was anaerobic and contained much higher concentrations of ferrous iron (Fe²⁺), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total phosphorus (TP), total ammonia-nitrogen (TAN), and sulfide (S²⁻) than surface or bottom waters. Concentrations of SRP and TP in pore water were higher in ponds with high soil phosphorus concentrations than in a new pond with less soil phosphorus. Increased concentrations of organic matter in soil or larger inputs of feed to ponds favored greater microbial activity in soils and higher concentrations of TAN in pore water. The pH of pore water was 6.5–7.0, and pH was apparently controlled by the equilibrium:

Movement of Fe²⁺, SRP, and S²⁻ from pore water into pond water apparently was prevented by the oxidized layer of soil just below the soil-water interface. Pond managers should concentrate on maintaining this oxidized layer to reduce the tendency for toxic substances to diffuse into the pond water.     

Phosphatase activity with reference to bacteria and phosphorus in tropical freshwater aquaculture pond systems

The bio‐geochemical cycle of phosphorus is significantly influenced by microbes in the aquatic environment. Organic phosphorus compounds are decomposed and mineralized by enzymatic complexes such as phosphatases produced by microbes. Enzymatic catalysis results in the production of orthophosphate, which can be used readily by primary producers. Even the smallest concentration of phosphate in water has an influence over the production process in aquaculture systems. Extracellular alkaline phosphatase activity was observed in water and sediment media of aquaculture ponds with different management practices. Heterotrophic bacterial populations as well as phosphatase‐producing bacterial populations were higher in sediments compared with water. In the freshwater fish ponds, Bacillus spp. were the dominant forms of bacteria producing phosphatase. The alkaline phosphatase activity of sediment was always higher than that of water. The partitioning of extracellular alkaline phosphatase in pond water by a 0.22‐µm membrane filter revealed that a proportion was often free rather than cell associated and might have originated as free enzymes released by enriched sediments or by fish or microbes. In the case of water, although the dissolved alkaline phosphatase activity was lower than the total alkaline phosphatase activity, the former was nevertheless unimportant, as it constituted about 20% of the ‘total’ activity. Free alkaline phosphatase activity shared a negative correlation with the orthophosphate concentration of water, whereas gross alkaline phosphatase activity was positively correlated with the total phosphorus and bacterial population of water.     

利用季铵盐有机改性铝污泥絮凝除藻试验

选择具有良好吸附沉降性能的给水厂副产物铝污泥作为下沉载体替代粘土,探究季铵盐十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)对铝污泥的吸附改性,并将其用于常见淡水小球藻(Chlorella)的絮凝去除试验。结果显示:(1)经600℃焙烧后的铝污泥对浓度为36.4 mg/L的CTAB改性溶液吸附能力最强,10 min内即可达到吸附平衡,吸附容量为9.19 mg/g;(2)当改性铝污泥中原始用量为3.0 g/L时,24 h后对藻密度和浊度的去除率可分别达到80.25%和80.05%;(3)改性剂CTAB不会影响铝污泥对磷酸盐的吸附性能,改性前后的铝污泥对磷的最大吸附率分别为90.91%和90.77%,且都在2 h左右达到吸附平衡。研究表明,有机改性铝污泥可初步形成一个除藻抑藻体系,可为藻类的去除和铝污泥的资源化利用提供理论依据及技术支持。