Screening and evaluation of polymers as flocculation aids for the treatment of aquacultural effluents

As environmental regulations become more stringent, environmentally sound waste management and disposal are becoming increasingly more important in all aquaculture operations. One of the primary water quality parameters of concern is the suspended solids concentration in the discharged effluent. For example, EPA initially considered the establishment of numerical limitations for only one single pollutant: total suspended solids (TSS). For recirculation systems, the proposed TSS limitations would have applied to solids polishing or secondary solids removal technology. The new rules and regulations from EPA (August 23, 2004) require only qualitative TSS limits, in the form of solids control best management practices (BMP), allowing individual regional and site specific conditions to be addressed by existing state or regional programs through NPDES permits. In recirculation systems, microscreen filters are commonly used to remove the suspended solids from the process water. Further concentration of suspended solids from the backwash water of the microscreen filter could significantly reduce quantity of discharge water. And in some cases, the backwash water from microscreen filters needs to be further concentrated to minimize storage volume during over wintering for land disposal or other final disposal options. In addition, this may be required to meet local, state, and regional discharge water quality. The objective of this research was an initial screening of several commercially available polymers routinely used as coagulation–flocculation aids in the drinking and wastewater treatment industry and determination of their effectiveness for the treatment of aquaculture wastewater. Based on the results of the initial screening, a further evaluation of six polymers was conducted to estimate the optimum polymer dosage for flocculation of aquaculture microscreen effluent and overall solids removal efficiency. Results of these evaluations show TSS removal was close to 99% via settling, with final TSS values ranging from as low as 10–17 mg/L. Although not intended to be used for reactive phosphorus (RP) removal, RP was reduced by 92–95% by removing most of the TSS in the wastewater to approximately 1 mg/L–P. Dosage requirements were fairly uniform, requiring between 15 and 20 mg/L of polymer. Using these dosages, estimated costs range from $4.38 to $13.08 per metric tonne of feed.     

Denitrifying bioreactor inflow manifold design for treatment of aquacultural wastewater

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) facilities subject to point-source effluent regulations need to implement cost-effective N remediation for their wastewater outflows. Relatively low-cost denitrifying “woodchip” bioreactors can effectively remove N from aquaculture effluents for at least one year, but questions remain about bioreactor lifespan for aquacultural wastewaters. Four pilot-scale bioreactors (L × W × D; 3.8 × 0.76 × 0.76 m), two with a conventional single distribution inflow manifold and two with an experimental multiple-header, feed-forward distribution manifold, were operated over 784 d to observe second-year N removal performance and to determine if the manifold design can influence bioreactor effectiveness. The study also quantified performance metrics for chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and phosphorus. Manifold style did not have notable impact on bioreactor performance when treating wastewater under the facilities’ normal operating conditions, but the multiple distribution style demonstrated an 11 % increase in nitrate and 12 % increase in total suspended solids removal efficiency over the single distribution manifold toward the end of the study when bioreactors treated higher strength wastewater. Additionally, bioreactor performance in both manifold designs decreased from an average of 92 % total suspended solids removal efficiency under normal operating conditions to <76 % when treating the high-strength wastewater. The bioreactors provided N removal rates of 17−25 g NO₃-N m⁻³ d⁻¹ during the second year of study, demonstrating woodchip bioreactors can effectively treat aquaculture effluent for at least two years without major detrimental impacts due to clogging.     

Constructed wetlands as a treatment method for effluents from intensive trout farms

This study examined the effects of different hydraulic loading rates on the treatment efficiency of subsurface flow (SSF) constructed wetlands treating effluents from trout farming over a period of 6 months. Six identical wetland cells with a pre-sedimentation zone of 9.6 m² and a root zone of 23.6 m² were loaded with effluents from intensive trout farming (> 2.1 kg feeding stuff per L/s and day). The total runoff of 13.2 L/s was treated in the wetland cells, where two duplicate cells received equal hydraulic loads of 3.9, 1.8 and 0.9 L/s. All examined wetland cells had significant treatment effects on the nutrient fractions containing particulate matter [total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), biological oxygen demand in 5 days (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total suspended solids (TSS)].

Efficiency was between 5.5% for TN and 90.1% for TSS. The SSF wetland also had a high treatment effect on total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), with efficiencies of 61.2 to 87.8%. Nitrate nitrogen (NO₃–N) and phosphate phosphorous (PO₄–P) showed a significant increase in the wetland effluent by 8.4 to 209%. Nitrite nitrogen (NO₂–N), had no significant, or significant effluent increase depending on the inflow rate. Treatment efficiency for particulate nutrients and TAN increased with decreasing hydraulic load, while the differences between 1.8 and 0.9 L/s were not significant. The treatment efficiency for TP was constant for all cells, at around 40%. The wetland receiving 3.9 L/s was over-flooded after 10 to 12 weeks due to colmatation. Nevertheless, the wetland still showed high treatment efficiencies. For commercial trout farms, SSF wetlands are a highly effective method of effluent treatment. A hydraulic load of 1 L/s on 13.3 m² wetland area (1.8 L/s on the examined wetland) seems most suitable. Higher loads lead to accelerated wetland colmatation, while lower loads waste space.     

Hydroponic plate/fabric/grass system for treatment of aquacultural wastewater

Hydroponic plants can efficiently absorb and uptake soluble compounds in wastewater but they have low abilities to remove suspended solids due to the lack of culture media to trap solids. This paper presented an improved hydroponic method for effective treatment of the wastewater from the backwash of recirculating aquacultural systems. The ryegrass (Lolium perenne Lam) was cultured with improved media consisting of perforated plastic plates and several layers of unwoven cotton fabric. The plate/fabric/grass cells with one, three, five, and seven layers of fabric were studied. After one vertical filtration pass through the cells, the removals were 48, 59, 60 and 63% for total solids (TS), 48, 58, 63 and 69% for volatile solids (VS), and 4, 7, 14 and 25% for suspended solids (SS), respectively, for different cells with one, three, five, and seven layers of fabric. It was found that increasing the number of vertical filtration passes through the cells improved the solids removal. The 1-day treatment in the recycling irrigation and treatment system with five cells ( = 0.8 m² grass) removed 66% TS, 71% VS, and 91% SS, and absorbed 72% total nitrogen (TN), 80% total phosphorus (TP), 63% chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 85% total ammonia nitrogen (TAN). This hydroponic plate/fabric/grass system is a simple and efficient technology for the effective eco-treatment of aquacultural wastewater with relatively high concentrations of suspended solids.     

Hydroponic plate/fabric/grass system for treatment of aquacultural wastewater

Hydroponic plants can efficiently absorb and uptake soluble compounds in wastewater but they have low abilities to remove suspended solids due to the lack of culture media to trap solids. This paper presented an improved hydroponic method for effective treatment of the wastewater from the backwash of recirculating aquacultural systems. The ryegrass (Lolium perenne Lam) was cultured with improved media consisting of perforated plastic plates and several layers of unwoven cotton fabric. The plate/fabric/grass cells with one, three, five, and seven layers of fabric were studied. After one vertical filtration pass through the cells, the removals were 48, 59, 60 and 63% for total solids (TS), 48, 58, 63 and 69% for volatile solids (VS), and 4, 7, 14 and 25% for suspended solids (SS), respectively, for different cells with one, three, five, and seven layers of fabric. It was found that increasing the number of vertical filtration passes through the cells improved the solids removal. The 1-day treatment in the recycling irrigation and treatment system with five cells ( = 0.8 m² grass) removed 66% TS, 71% VS, and 91% SS, and absorbed 72% total nitrogen (TN), 80% total phosphorus (TP), 63% chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 85% total ammonia nitrogen (TAN). This hydroponic plate/fabric/grass system is a simple and efficient technology for the effective eco-treatment of aquacultural wastewater with relatively high concentrations of suspended solids.     

Thermal disinfection of seawater for aquacultural purpose

The dose of heat required to kill Vibrio anguillarum has been determined. The results show that > 99·97% inactivation was obtained after 3 min exposure to 44·0°C. After 2 min exposure to 47·5°C, > 99·99% inactivation was obtained. The results indicate that heating is a useful method for safe disinfection of small amounts of water.     

Selection of aerators for intensive aquacultural pond

Aeration cost is the third largest cost in intensive aquaculture system after post larvae and feed cost representing about 15% of total production cost. Therefore, selection of aerators plays a major role in maximizing the profit in such system. Over the years, various types of aerators have been developed specifically to enhance the production of aquatic species. The performances of these aerators are generally compared in terms of standard aeration efficiency. However, suitability of a particular aerator at different pond sizes and water quality conditions can best be determined in terms of aeration cost per unit time of operation. In the present study, economic performance of five different aeration systems – circular stepped cascade (CSC), pooled circular stepped cascade (PCSC), 1-hp paddle wheel, 2-hp paddle wheel and propeller aspirator pump were evaluated and compared at different pond sizes, initial DO concentrations of pond and operating hours of aerators; assuming a typical Indian major carp (IMC) culture with commonly practiced stocking density and feeding. Both CSC and PCSC aerators were found to be suitable for pond size less than 1000 m³. However, for pond sizes more than 5000 m³, 1-hp paddle wheel and 2-hp paddle wheel aerators were found to be efficient.     

Use of alternative disinfectants, individually and in combination, in aquacultural wastewater treatment

The inactivation effect of chlorine, iodine, ozone and UV irradiation was compared between phosphate buffered saline and waste water collected from a fish farm, with the fish-pathogenic bacterium Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida as the model organism. In addition, the effect of combining chlorine, iodine or ozone with UV was evaluated. A tenfold increase in initial chlorine concentration, from 0.2 to 2.0 mg l^?1. had to be applied to maintain the same level of inactivation in waste water as in PBS. Iodine was less efficient than chlorine in PBS. by demanding a concentration of 1.0 mg l^?1 to obtain the same rate of inactivation as with 0.2 mg l^?1 chlorine. However, no difference between the two halogens was evident in the low-quality water. An initial ozone concentration of 0.1 mg l^?1 in PBS caused a rapid drop in bacterial viability for the first 20 s after which the curve levelled off. By continuous ozonation of waste water, a residual oxidant concentration of about 0.3 mg l^?1 had to be established before a rapid inactivation was observed. The UV inactivation profiles in PBS and waste water were almost identical, with a 99.9% reduction in viability after 48 and 50 s. respectively. When UV irradiation was combined with chlorine, a less than additive effect, as compared with the sum of individual death rates by the two treatments, was observed. The corresponding UV/iodine combination at least gave an additive effect in both water qualities. No increment in inactivation rate in PBS was observed when ozone was used in combination with UV, as compared with ozone alone.     

Farm-level costs of settling basins for treatment of effluents from levee-style catfish ponds

Compelled by pending regulatory rule changes, settling basins have been proposed as a treatment alternative for catfish pond effluents, but the associated costs to catfish farmers have not been estimated. Economic engineering techniques were used to design 160 scenarios as a basis for estimating total investment and total annual costs. For static-water, levee-style catfish pond facilities, sizing of settling basins is controlled by factors such as type of effluent to be treated, pond layout, size of the largest foodfish pond, number of drainage directions, scope of regulations governing effluents, and the availability of land. Regulations that require settling basins on catfish farms would increase total investment cost on catfish farms by $126–2990 ha⁻¹ and total annual per-ha costs by $19–367 ha⁻¹. More numerous drainage directions on farms resulted in the greatest increase in costs. While both investment and operating costs increased with larger sizes of foodfish ponds, costs per ha were relatively greater on smaller than on larger farms. For farms on which existing fish ponds would have to be converted to settling basins, over half of the cost was due to the production foregone and annual fixed costs of the pond. Requiring catfish farmers to construct settling basins would impose a disproportionately greater financial burden on smaller farms. The magnitude of the increased costs associated with settling basins was too high relative to market prices of catfish for this technology to be economically feasible.     

海洋生物技术与水产养殖生物病害防治

进入９０年代以来，由于水产养殖生物疾病的发生呈上升趋势，特别是病毒性疾病的暴发与流行，已成为制约海水养殖业进一步发展的重要因素。因此，海洋生物技术在海水养殖生物疾病防治方面的应用研究倍受瞩目，国内外专家、学者在这方面开展了不少研究，并取得了一些的成果。海洋生物技术在水产养殖生物病害防治方面的应用，主要包括养殖生态环境的生物修复技术、养殖生物疾病的诊断和防治等。 一、应用海洋生物技术修复养殖生态环境 在养殖环境的生物修复技术中，以往研究较多、应用较广的主要为一些天然微生物制剂，既有单一菌株的制剂如光…     

System dynamics simulation and optimization of aquacultural systems

This paper presents a combination of system dynamics and the linear programming model for optimal operation and management of aquacultural systems. The biological component of the model is presented by system dynamics methodology which can effectively incorporate inherent nonlinearity and time lag of the system. The economic component consists of a linear programming technique for scheduling the optimal harvests. The logical consistency and expected behaviour prediction, at least qualitatively, validates the model. The potentiality of the model is illustrated using data from a numerical example for a batch system. The models are programmed in BASIC suitable for microcomputers.     

Production of microalgal concentrates by flocculation and their assessment as aquaculture feeds

A novel technique was developed for the flocculation of marine microalgae commonly used in aquaculture. The process entailed an adjustment of pH of culture to between 10 and 10.6 using NaOH, followed by addition of a non-ionic polymer Magnafloc LT-25 to a final concentration of 0.5 mg L⁻¹. The ensuing flocculate was harvested, and neutralised giving a final concentration factor of between 200- and 800-fold. This process was successfully applied to harvest cells of Chaetoceros calcitrans, C. muelleri, Thalassiosira pseudonana, Attheya septentrionalis, Nitzschia closterium, Skeletonema sp., Tetraselmis suecica and Rhodomonas salina, with efficiencies ≥80%. The process was rapid, simple and inexpensive, and relatively cost neutral with increasing volume (cf. concentration by centrifugation). Harvested material was readily disaggregated to single cell suspensions by dilution in seawater and mild agitation. Microscopic examination of the cells showed them to be indistinguishable from corresponding non-flocculated cells. Chlorophyll analysis of concentrates prepared from cultures of ≤130 L showed minimal degradation after 2 weeks storage.

Concentrates of T. pseudonana prepared using pH-induced flocculation gave better growth of juvenile Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) than concentrates prepared by ferric flocculation, or centrifuged concentrates using a cream separator or laboratory centrifuge. In follow up experiments, concentrates prepared from 1000 L Chaetoceros muelleri cultures were effective as supplementary diets to improve the growth of juvenile C. gigas and the scallop Pecten fumatus reared under commercial conditions, though not as effective as the corresponding live algae. The experiments demonstrated a proof-of-concept for a commercial application of concentrates prepared by flocculation, especially for use at a remote nursery without on-site mass-algal culture facilities.     

Analysis and optimisation of dynamic facility ventilation in recirculation aquacultural systems

Facility ventilation is one of the main energy consumers in a recirculation aquacultural system (RAS).In this work, operating points have been optimised in order to maintain an acceptable facility climate on the one hand but an energy input as low as possible on the other hand. The energy savings have been quantified by evaluation of energy input into the ventilation stream at various flow rates. Moreover, additional measurements have been undertaken in order to understand the correlation between air humidity in the facility, ventilation rate, humidity production of the RAS and ambient climate.The main findings are that dynamic facility ventilation offers a significant potential for energy savings up to 85% compared to a static operation at design flow rates according to DIN EN 13779. Air humidity–as a major constraint–is predominantly affected by ambient climate conditions. Based on the main findings, a first approach for a dynamic ventilation strategy (i.e. for automation) has been made.     

Constructed wetlands for treatment of harvest effluents from grow‐out ponds of the Amazon river prawn

Effluent discharges from aquaculture can reduce water quality in receiving water bodies and that strategies or practices to reduce this are necessary. One possibility is to reduce, or eliminate, water renewal in grow‐out ponds. In this study, we eliminated water renewal in grow‐out ponds associated with the culture of 40 individuals m^?2 of Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum). At the end of the culture period it was, however, necessary to drain the pond to harvest the prawns. An experiment was performed in triplicate, in which the water supply characteristics and harvest water characteristics of ponds were evaluated. To reduce these concentrations of total N and P, an aquatic macrophyte (Eichhornia crassipes, water hyacinth) treatment system (CWs) was adopted. The water characteristics in the CWs were evaluated after 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days. The water supply of ponds presented the average concentrations of 0.67 ± 0.32 mg L^?1 and 17.4 ± 14.7 μg L^?1 of total‐N and total‐P respectively. The harvest effluent of ponds had elevated concentrations of different forms of nitrogen (4.44 mg L^?1 of total‐N) and phosphorous (100.9 μg L^?1 of total‐P). After 1 day of the experiment we found the following reductions in key nutrients in treatment system containing E. crassipes: 90%, 78% and 45% reductions in the concentrations of particulate matter, orthophosphates and nitrates respectively. We noted that after 3 days the nitrates had been reduced by 53%. We concluded that 3 days of this treatment was sufficient for the removal of the additional nutrients that had accumulated in the Amazon river prawn ponds.     

我国水产养殖工程学科发展报告（2007—2008）

报告概述了我国水产养殖工程学科2007-2008年所取得的重大科技成果和研究进展.重点介绍网箱设施工程、工厂化循环水养殖工程和池塘生态化养殖工程这3个领域开展的重大研究项目进展情况和研究结果,提出了该学科发展中存在的主要问题以及今后主要研究方向.     

Biological considerations on the use of thermal effluents for finfish aquaculture

Future increases in electric power requirements will provide greater opportunities to use waste heat from electric generating stations for beneficial purposes. Thermal effluents can be used as a source of warm water which may be utilized to control and maintain a fish-farm system within optimum thermal limits. High temperatures of thermal effluents will exert their primary effect on cultured organisms through increased activity and metabolism. Site studies in thermal effluents indicate that the principal fishes attracted to thermal effluent areas are warmwater species and that these fish could provide suitable culture animals. At present, few fish species are cultured in thermal effluents under controlled conditions.     

Effects of capital rationing and tax incentives on the internal growth of an aquacultural firm

Capital rationing and tax incentive issues for an aquacultural firm are developed in the context of intensive firm growth (growth from within rather than through acquisition) with a channel catfish enterprise. Beginning firm debt levels and stringently imposed debt limits (which the firm was not permitted to exceed) were found to have prominent effects upon pond construction levels and growth in profitability. Wide fluctuations in interest rate levels had little impact upon growth of the aquacultural enterprise, although higher interest rates significantly reduced profitability. The tax incentive examined also had little effect upon firm growth. The methodology developed and the effect of the capital, debt, interest rate level and tax features analyzed provide insights that may apply wherever capital and credit rationing impacts upon investment decisions by aquacultural firms.     

三疣梭子蟹多态性微卫星DNA标记的筛选及评价

根据前人FIASCO方法构建的三疣梭子蟹微卫星富集文库,对含微卫星的DNA序列设计了71对引物并对其进行了多态性筛选,筛选出21对多态的微卫星引物,对三疣梭子蟹1个野生群体的30个个体进行遗传多样性检测,同时对引物进行评价。21个位点共获得了188个等位基因,平均每个位点扩增得到8.9个等位基因。不同引物获得的等位基因数差异较大,从3～13个不等,其中Pot8、Pot37、Pot48、Pot53、Pot54、Pot66六个位点分别获得了11、12、12、11、13、11个等位基因,而Pot46仅获得了3个等位基因。等位基因的大小分布在131～312bp,基本符合引物设计时理论产物长度。21个微卫星位点的期望杂合度的范围为0.659～0.889,PIC值均高于0.5,表明它们都有很高的杂合度,均可用于三疣梭子蟹种群遗传结构分析,为三疣梭子蟹品种选育、种系评估提供更多的微卫星DNA信息。     

一体式膜生物反应器处理水产养殖废水膜污染特性研究

采用一体式膜生物反应器（ MBR）处理水产养殖废水,对处理过程中MBR膜污染的特征进行研究。首先,选取污泥浓度（ MLSS）、水力停留时间（ HRT）和曝气量这3个与膜污染有密切关系的变量,通过组合优化,研究操作条件对膜污染的影响,并确定最佳操作条件;其次,在最优化参数组合情况下,通过长期稳定运行,确定膜压增长特点;最后,通过膜阻力分布分析,得出造成膜污染的最主要原因。结果显示,对膜污染的贡献依次为：曝气量＞HRT＞MLSS;最佳的操作参数组合为曝气量437．5 L/h,HRT 4．25 h,MLSS 2．2 g/L;长期稳定运行过程中,发现膜压增长呈现出快速增长、平稳增长、急剧增长的3个阶段;通过膜阻力分布分析,得出由胞外聚合物（EPS）和微生物代谢产物（SMP）形成的吸附性膜孔阻塞是造成膜污染的最主要原因。因此,优化操作条件和减少混合液中EPS和SMP是减轻膜污染的重要手段。     

Assessment of the use of precipitating agents and ceramic membranes for treatment of effluents with high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus from recirculating aquaculture systems

Following the culturing of post‐juvenile African catfish, wastewaters were purified using single and integrated processes. Iron coagulant (IC), aluminium coagulant (AC), lanthanum modified bentonite (LMB) and ceramic membranes (NF – nanofiltration) were each tested in single processes, while the combination of IC + NF and AC + NF were used in the integrated process tests. Among the single processes, membrane filtration was the most effective in purifying the aquaculture effluent. The total suspended solids (TSS) were removed entirely and there was a near‐complete removal of turbidity (99.2%), as well as effective removal of Al and Fe (80.8% and 67.4% respectively). Precipitating agents overall removed TSS most faithfully, from 37.5% removal with AC, through 50.2% with IC, to 62.3% with LMB. Using integrated processes, the highest removal efficacy was recorded for TSS (100%) and turbidity (99.7% – IC + NF; 99.9% – AC + NF). Additionally, integrated processes attained a 96.8%–98.4% removal of NO₂^‐‐N. This study confirms the possibility of using IC, AC and LMB in chemical purification of effluents from recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). However, due to their low removal efficacy for nitrogen and phosphorus, it is preferable to use NF or integrated processes – membrane filtration combined with chemical precipitation, methods which proved to be most effective for water purification in RAS.