Immobilized Tetraselmis sp. for reducing nitrogenous and phosphorous compounds from aquaculture wastewater
Helena Khatoon, Kwan Penz Penz, Sanjoy Banerjee, Mohammad Redwanur Rahman, Tashrif Mahmud Minhaz, Zahidul Islam, FARDOUS ARA MUKTA, Zannatul Nayma, Razia Sultana, Kafia Islam Amira
Abstract
Removal of nitrogenous and phosphorus compounds from aquaculture wastewater by green microalgae (Tetraselmis sp.) was investigated using a novel method of algal cell immobilization. Immobilized microalgae removed nitrogenous and phosphorous compounds efficiently from aquaculture wastewater. Results showed that Tetraselmis beads reduced significantly (p < 0.05) the total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorous concentration (0.08; 0.10 and 0.17 mg/L, respectively) from the initial concentration of 7.7, 3.1 and 2.0 mg/L respectively within 48 h compared to other treatments. Removal rate of total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorous were 99.2, 99.2 and 94.3% respectively, for the artificial wastewater within 24 h. For the shrimp pond wastewater, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorous were reduced 98.9, 97.7 and 91.1% respectively within 48 h. It is concluded that Tetraselmis sp. beads is an effective means to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus levels in aquaculture wastewater.