Reciprocating biofilter for water reuse in aquaculture

The reciprocating biofilter is automatically dewatered at regular and frequent intervals, in contrast to the conventional upflow submerged biofilter which is continually inundated. Reciprocating biofilters were compared with submerged biofilters in terms of ability to maintain water quality in small-scale fish holding units. In the first trial the reciprocating filter systems averaged 35% more fish in terms of numbers, 59% more fish in terms of weight, and a 45% greater feeding rate. In the second trial the reciprocating filter systems averaged 29% more fish in terms of numbers, 33% more fish in terms of weight, and a 29% greater feeding rate. Superior performance of the reciprocating filters appeared to be the results of resistance to clogging and improved aeration of the filter substrate.     

Ammonia removal capacity of European natural zeolite tuffs: application to aquaculture waste water

Abstract. The possibility of improving aquaculture water quality using different kinds of zeolites is discussed. Zeolites are aluminosilicates, whose framework structure allows them to exchange cations. Cations have differing affinities for different structures, and in particular ammonia has a great affinity for phillipsite and clinoptilolite structures. These zeolites are already used for ammonia removal from municipal piggery, and aquacultural wastes. In the present paper, ammonia removal from aquacultural water from recirculating systems has been tested, comparing different zeolites under laboratory conditions. Phillipsite and clinoptilolite tuffs were effective in ammonia removal, while chabazitc tuff having a lower content of zeolitic material (50%) and lower affinity for ammonia showed that a lower temperature did not influence ion exchange capacity in any of the zeolites.     

Nitrate removal effectiveness of fluidized sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification biofilters for recirculating aquaculture systems

There is a need to develop practical methods to reduce nitrate–nitrogen loads from recirculating aquaculture systems to facilitate increased food protein production simultaneously with attainment of water quality goals. The most common wastewater denitrification treatment systems utilize methanol-fueled heterotrophs, but sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification may allow a shift away from potentially expensive carbon sources. The objective of this work was to assess the nitrate-reduction potential of fluidized sulfur-based biofilters for treatment of aquaculture wastewater. Three fluidized biofilters (height 3.9 m, diameter 0.31 m; operational volume 0.206 m³) were filled with sulfur particles (0.30 mm effective particle size; static bed depth approximately 0.9 m) and operated in triplicate mode (Phase I: 37–39% expansion; 3.2–3.3 min hydraulic retention time; 860–888 L/(m² min) hydraulic loading rate) and independently to achieve a range of hydraulic retention times (Phase II: 42–13% expansion; 3.2–4.8 min hydraulic retention time). During Phase I, despite only removing 1.57 ± 0.15 and 1.82 ± 0.32 mg NO₃–N/L each pass through the biofilter, removal rates were the highest reported for sulfur-based denitrification systems (0.71 ± 0.07 and 0.80 ± 0.15 g N removed/(L bioreactor-d)). Lower than expected sulfate production and alkalinity consumption indicated some of the nitrate removal was due to heterotrophic denitrification, and thus denitrification was mixotrophic. Microbial analysis indicated the presence of Thiobacillus denitrificans, a widely known autotrophic denitrifier, in addition to several heterotrophic denitrifiers. Phase II showed that longer retention times tended to result in more nitrate removal and sulfate production, but increasing the retention time through flow rate manipulation may create fluidization challenges for these sulfur particles.     

循环水养殖系统生物挂膜的消氨效果及影响因素分析

针对工厂化循环水养殖系统,利用海水中的自然净化微生物挂膜,挂膜成功后,形成了很好的硝化作用,进行不同水温、进水氨氮浓度和水力停留时间(HRT)影响因素实验。结果表明,相同的进水氨氮浓度,随着水温的升高,不同水温之间氨氮浓度变化差异显著(P0.05)。在28℃水温时,经过生物膜120 h的净化处理,进水氨氮浓度降低到最低;随着进水氨氮浓度和HRT的增大,氨氮去除率及特殊去除率也不断的增大,但在同一进水氨氮浓度下,氨氮特殊去除率随着水力停留时间的延长反而降低。     

生物—电氧化法去除海水养殖循环水污染物

为提高海水养殖循环水处理效率,降低处理成本,本研究采用曝气生物滤器与电化学阳极氧化组合工艺,考察了不同阳极电势、进水氨氮和亚硝酸盐浓度下系统对氨氮及亚硝酸盐等污染物的去除效果,研究了微生物与工作电极之间的相互作用,并分析了电化学反应能耗。在水力停留时间为45 min、1.4 V阳极电压、进水氨氮和亚硝酸盐浓度分别为4.5和1.3 mg/L条件下,生物—电氧化法对氨氮去除率达88.8%,高出对照组7.6%,出水氨氮和亚硝酸盐浓度分别为0.5和0.9 mg/L,COD去除率为88.2%,高出对照组19.4%,平均能耗0.040 kWh/m³,电极表面微生物生长对阳极电氧化过程有促进作用,微生物功能预测显示实验组硝化功能占比为0.03%,对照组为0.07%。研究表明,生物—电氧化法对海水养殖循环水的污染物有良好的去除效果,具有一定的发展应用潜力。     

养殖用水重复利用过程中悬浮固体物的性质及控制

颗粒物不仅对养殖对象有直接影响,也会影响到其它水处理单元的效率,是水产养殖水体重复利用和排放的限制性指标。本文概述了水产养殖水体中固体物质性质的描述指标,根据水产养殖活动的特点对养殖过程中颗粒物的来源途径进行了分析,可以根据水体的投饲量估算需要去除的颗粒产生量;介绍了使用双排管将残饵和粪便尽快地排出养殖池的方法;根据颗粒物的粒径、沉降速率等特征,总结了几种常见的固液分离技术。选择固液分离技术时,需要考虑去除的粒径、水头损失、水力负荷以及总体去除效率,还要考虑是否可能在去除的过程中会把大粒径颗粒碎成小粒径颗粒因而增加总体去除难度。     

Performance of sequencing microbead biofilters in a recirculating aquaculture system

Biological filtration, or biofiltration, is the key technology in recirculating aquaculture systems. Sequencing microbead biofilters, in which the media maintains a continuous up-and-down movement, are based on traditional microbead filters but offer superior filtration properties. The performance characteristics of a sequencing microbead biofilter installed in a recirculating aquaculture system for rearing Barcoo perch at 29 ± 1 °C were examined. The total ammonia-nitrogen (TAN) concentrations and the nitrite-nitrogen concentrations during a 52-day culture period were maintained blow 1.6 mg/L and 0.9 mg/L. In order to ensure efficient biofiltration, the optimal actual application of hydraulic retention time was determined to be approximately 3–5 min. The water flow produced by the reciprocating motion of the media served to wash away suspended solids, ensuring the occurrence of optimal nitrification processes. Additionally, the reciprocating motion of the media enhanced ammonia treatment efficiency significantly by improving the transport of nutrients and nitrification activity. Compared to a static situation the ammonia removal rate increased by 27% based on the application of up-and-down reciprocating movement. The biofilm on the microbead forms as a compact, complex, and homogeneous structure, consisting of numerous microscopic thin sheets. Additionally, a multitude of pores, interstitial voids, and vertical channels were widely observed to convey obviously advantageous properties in support of fluid passage, thus enhancing mass transfer and ultimately contributing to biofiltration effectiveness. The optimum biofilm thickness for providing efficient biofiltration was determined to be approximately 70 μm for this filter.     

Rating fixed film nitrifying biofilters used in recirculating aquaculture systems

Predicting the performance of biofilters is an engineering challenge that is critical to both designers and managers. The task is complicated by the wide variety of water quality expectations and environmental conditions displayed by a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). A myriad of biofilters designs have been generated reflecting approaches of engineers attempting to maximize specific surface area and oxygen transfer within the context of a biofilm management strategy. A rating strategy is presented for biofilters to facilitate the identification of appropriate matches between biofiltration formats and RAS applications. As a foundation, a previously proposed RAS classification system based upon salinity, temperature and trophic levels is upgraded to create 17 systems classifications. A biofilter classification system identifies seven combinations of trophic level and pH which should be sufficient to serve the RAS demands. Temperature and salinity are neglected as a means of simplifying the approach. An experimental methodology based upon chemical feeds is proposed to represent the steady-state RAS performance of the biofilters. Data is summarized by linear analysis of filter performance for concentration ranges below 1.0 g TAN m⁻³ and simple averaging is proposed for higher trophic levels. Input from the aquacultural engineering community and RAS aquaculturists is required to further refine the approach prior to endorsement.     

Heterotrophic denitrification of aquaculture effluent using fluidized sand biofilters

The ability to consistently and cost-effectively reduce nitrate-nitrogen loads in effluent from recirculating aquaculture systems would enhance the industry's environmental stewardship and allow improved facility proximity to large markets in sensitive watersheds. Heterotrophic denitrification technologies specifically employing organic carbon found in aquaculture system waste offer a unique synergy for treatment of land-based, closed-containment production outflows. For space-efficient fluidized sand biofilters to be used as such denitrification reactors, system parameters (e.g., influent dissolved oxygen and carbon to nitrogen ratios, C:N) must be evaluated to most effectively use an endogenous carbon source. The objectives of this work were to quantify nitrate removal under a range of C:Ns and to explore the biofilter bacterial community using three replicated fluidized sand biofilters (height 3.9 m, diameter 0.31 m; fluidized sand volume plus biofilm volume of 0.206 m³) operated at a hydraulic retention time of 15 min and a hydraulic loading rate of 188 L/min m² at The Conservation Fund Freshwater Institute in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA. Nitrate reduction was consistently observed during the biofilter study period (26.9 ± 0.9% removal efficiency; 402 ± 14 g NO₃-N/(m³ biofilter d)) although nitrite-N and total ammonium nitrogen concentrations slightly increased (11 and 13% increases, respectively). Nitrate removal efficiency was correlated with carbonaceous oxygen demand to nitrate ratios (R² > 0.70). Nitrate removal rates during the study period were moderately negatively correlated with influent dissolved oxygen concentration indicating it may be possible the biofilter hydraulic retention time was too short to provide optimized nitrate removal. It is reasonable to assume that the efficiency of nitrate removal across the fluidized sand biofilters could be substantially increased, as long as organic carbon was not limiting, by increasing biofilter bed depths (to 6–10 m), and thus hydraulic retention time. These findings provide a low-cost yet effective technology to remove nitrate-nitrogen from effluent waters of land-based closed-containment aquaculture systems.     

Effect of water velocity on ammonium and nitrite removal in pilot scale fixed bed biofilters

The effect of water velocity on nitrification rates in fixed bed biofilters was investigated in three freshwater pilot scale RAS with rainbow trout. Removal of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and nitrite-nitrogen were assessed by NH₄Cl spikes and tested at four different water velocities in the biofilters (1.4, 5.4, 10.8 and 16.2 m h⁻¹) under identical conditions. Water velocities below 10.8 m h⁻¹ significantly reduced TAN- and nitrite removal rates. The surface specific TAN removal rates correlated with the TAN concentrations at the water velocities 10.8 and 16.2 m h⁻¹, and the first order surface removal rate constant was estimated at 0.45 m h⁻¹. However, no correlations between TAN removal and TAN concentrations were found at the lowest velocities. Up to five-fold elevated nitrite levels were found in the RAS when biofilters were operated at 1.4 m h⁻¹ compared to the trials at other water velocities, substantiating the significant effect of water velocity on both nitrification processes. The importance of biofilter hydraulics documented in this pilot scale RAS probably have implications for design and operation in larger scale RAS.     

应用生物脱氮新技术处理循环养殖废水的研究

由于氨氮的传统去除在工艺运行上有多方面的局限性,寻求低价可靠的生物完全脱氮工艺,成为循环水养殖系统中亟待突破的关键技术,近年来迅速发展的一些生物脱氮新技术为解决这一难题提供了新的思路。综述了循环养殖废水脱氮研究现状及生物脱氮新技术,指出了将脱氮新技术应用于养殖废水处理具有的多方面的优点及存在的一些有待于研究解决的问题。     

硝化细菌浓度及滤料对养殖水中氨氮处理效果的影响

分别研究了不同硝化细菌浓度(0、20、60、120 mL/100 L)和不同微生物滤料(珊瑚石、锅炉煤渣、牡蛎壳)对养殖水中氨氮处理效果的影响。结果显示,添加硝化细菌后,水体中的氨氮浓度呈现下降趋势,在8～12 h出现极低值后,开始上升,但上升速度较慢;随着水体中硝化细菌添加量的增加,水体中的氨氮浓度下降速度加快;水体中亚硝酸氮浓度呈现先上升后下降的趋势,并在4～6 h出现极高值,然后迅速下降,且硝化细菌添加量越高,下降速度越快。硝化细菌对以珊瑚石和锅炉煤渣为滤料的养殖水体中氨氮和亚硝酸氮的处理效果显著优于牡蛎壳,但珊瑚石和锅炉煤渣之间无显著差异。综合试验结果,应急水质处理时,硝化细菌菌剂的添加量以一次60 mL/100 L(或以活菌计数为1.2×109个/100 L)、间隔24 h添加1次为宜;经过脱硫筛选之后的锅炉煤渣可以作为循环水养殖用滤料。     

Filter media for the removal of phthalate esters in water of closed aquaculture systems

Characteristics were examined of filter media for use in removing organic contaminants from water used in closed aquaculture systems. A filter medium is described consisting of 778 cm³ of 81% ether-based polyurethane foam. This medium extracts 98.6% of 76 545 μg (306 ppm) of dioctyl phthalate (DEHP) at the specific flow rate of 100 ml/min. It can be incorporated in any filter and can be cleaned for reuse by passing an acetone—hexane solution through the polyurethane foam.     

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.     

生态浮岛植物在富营养化养殖水体中去磷途径的初步分析

植物修复富营养化养殖水体过程中磷(P)的去除途径主要包括植物吸收、植物根系吸附、底泥吸附和还原状态下的磷挥发。为了深入探讨植物修复去磷机理,阐明植物修复富营养化养殖水体过程中磷的去向问题,分别以夏秋季(高温)和冬春季(低温)的高效除磷植物大漂和冬牧70组成的生态浮岛为研究对象,通过研究模拟条件下的富营养养殖水体生态修复系统,研究不同温度季节下生态浮岛植物在富营养养殖水体中各去磷途径对水体总磷(TP)去除量的贡献率大小。结果表明:经过20 d处理后,生态浮岛植物大漂和冬牧70对富营养化养殖水体中总磷的去除效率都较高 ,均达50%以上;在生态浮岛植物修复富营养养殖水体过程中最主要的磷去除途径都为植物吸收作用和底泥吸附作用,分别占水体中总磷去除量的23%~58%和27%~51%;其次是植物根系吸附作用,占水体中总磷去除量的13%~28%;贡献率最低的是还原状态下的磷挥发,一般低于1.5%,几乎可忽略不计。     

膜式氧合器不同解吸方式对水产养殖水体中氨氮去除效果的影响

研究了膜式氧合器3种不同解吸方式，即：O2对流法、真空抽取法和酸吸收法去除水产养殖水体中氨氮的影响因素，并比较对其氨氮的去除效果。结果表明，氨氮初始浓度和pH是氨氮去除率的主要影响因素；当pH＞9时，O2对流法和真空抽取法对氨氮去除效果比pH＜9时要高，而酸吸收法不论pH高低时比其它2种方法都能获得较高的氨氮去除率。     

Phaeobacter grown in biofilters: a new strategy for the control of Vibrionaceae in aquaculture

Growth, biofilm formation, antagonism and residence time in green seawater tanks maintained under fish rearing conditions of Phaeobacter 27‐4 were studied in commercial biofilters made from plastic, sintered glass and ceramic. Phaeobacter reached 10⁸–10⁹ CFU cm^?3 and formed rosettes in all materials, but a multilayer biofilm was only observed in the ceramic biofilters. In sterile seawater, plastic and ceramic biofilters reduced Vibrio anguillarum and V. splendidus concentration in one‐two Log after 24–48 h, showing 10²–10³ CFU mL^?1. Sintered glass biofilters only inactivated V. anguillarum. In Marine Broth, sintered glass and ceramic biofilters inhibited V. anguillarum growth in two‐three Log, showing 10⁴–10⁵ CFU mL^?1 after 24 h. Plastic biofilters reduced V. anguillarum concentration in one Log after 48 h. V. splendidus growth was only inhibited by sintered glass and ceramic biofilters in one‐two Log, showing 10⁷ CFU mL^?1 after 24 h. Phaeobacter also diminished biofilters colonization by the pathogens, both in seawater and in MB. Phaeobacter residence time in green seawater tanks maintained under fish rearing conditions was longer with sintered glass and ceramic biofilters. The latest showed the lowest detachment and, after 11 days, Phaeobacter (10⁶ bacteria·cm^?3) covered more than 80% of biofilters total culturable bacteria. DGGE profiles showed that Phaeobacter biofilters stabilizes the green seawater bacterial microbiota.     

Degradation and effect of hydrogen peroxide in small‐scale recirculation aquaculture system biofilters

From an environmental point of view, hydrogen peroxide (HP) has beneficial attributes compared with other disinfectants in terms of its ready degradation and neutral by‐products. The rapid degradation of HP can, however, cause difficulties with regard to safe and efficient water treatment when applied in different systems. In this study, we investigated the degradation kinetics of HP in biofilters from water recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). The potential effect of HP on the nitrification process in the biofilters was also examined. Biofilter elements from two different pilot‐scale RAS were exposed to various HP treatments in batch experiments, and the HP concentration was found to follow an exponential decay. The biofilter ammonia and nitrite oxidation processes showed quick recuperation after exposure to a single dose of HP up to 30 mg L^?1. An average HP concentration of 10–13 mg L^?1 maintained over 3 h had a moderate inhibitory effect on the biofilter elements from one of the RAS with relatively high organic loading, while the nitrification was severely inhibited in the pilot‐scale biofilters from the other RAS with a relatively low organic loading. A pilot‐scale RAS, equipped with two biofilter units, both a moving‐bed (Biomedia) and a fixed‐bed (BIO‐BLOK^®) biofilter, was subjected to an average HP concentration of ～12 mg L^?1 for 3 h. The ammonium‐ and nitrite‐degrading efficiencies of both the Biomedia and the BIO‐BLOK^® filters were drastically reduced. The filters had not reverted to pre‐HP exposure efficiency after 24 h, suggesting a possible long‐term impact on the biofilters.     

Evaluation of three types of structured floating plastic media in moving bed biofilters for total ammonia nitrogen removal in a low salinity hatchery recirculating aquaculture system

Three different commercially available structural plastic media were evaluated in triplicate in moving bed biofilters under low salinity (11–12 ppt) warm water culture conditions and two different feed loading rates. The culture system consisted of nine separate modules that include a double drain fish culture tank paired to a moving bed biofilter. The biofilters were filled with 0.11 m³ of one of three different types of floating plastic structured media. The three types of media evaluated were K1 kaldnes media, MB3 media, and AMB media. Volumetric total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal rates (g TAN removed/m³ media-day), TAN removal efficiency, and biofilm kinetic constants, K_i (h⁻¹) were determined for the three media types at two different daily feed load rates of 3.5 and 8.2 kg feed/m³ media. The feed provided was a 4.8 mm slow sinking marine grower diet pellet (45% protein, 17% fat). Average (±standard deviation, SD) volumetric TAN removal rates (VTR) at the lower feed load for the three media types were 92.2 ± 26.3, 86.1 ± 27.5, and 82.5 ± 25.9 for the MB3, AMB, and K1 kaldnes media, respectively. At the higher feed load the average VTR for the three media types was 186.4 ± 53.7, 172.9 ± 47.8, and 139.9 ± 38.9 for the MB3, AMB, and K1 kaldnes media, respectively. Influent TAN concentrations varied by the feed load rate and ranged from 0.55 to 0.93 mg/L and 0.83 to 1.87 mg/L for the low and higher feed loads, respectively. The percent TAN removal rates for the MB3 media was the highest of the three media types at both the low and high feed load rates averaging 12.3% and 14.4%, respectively. The MB3 media was selected for use in the moving bed biofilters because of the greater VTR and removal efficiency results for use in the 0.11 m³ moving bed biofilters of the hatchery recirculating aquaculture system.     

循环水养殖系统中的固体悬浮物去除技术

循环水养殖系统(Recirculating aquaculture systems,RAS)中固体悬浮物(Suspended solids,SS)的去除效果直接影响到鱼类生长、生物净化效果、系统配置和运行成本等诸多重要因子。根据固体悬浮物产生、物理特性和分布规律,结合颗粒悬浮物去除工艺特点,对去除技术进行系统研究分析。固体悬浮物源自饲料,密度一般为1.05~1.19 g/cm3,运用重力分离、过滤和泡沫分离等工艺通过预处理、粗过滤和精处理三道工艺步骤,可分别去除不同直径的颗粒物质,在达到合理含量的前提下,获得低能耗、低成本和系统稳定运行的综合效果。固体悬浮物的去除符合目标明确、排出及时和区别对待三原则,去除工艺注重相关技术的优化集成。