Recycling of aquaculture wastewater using charcoal based constructed wetlands

Abstract

The competitive demand for water makes it a scarce resource for agricultural use. This necessitates wastewater reuse for irrigation and any other agricultural purpose, especially in developing countries where treatment of wastewaters is not a priority. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a charcoal-based constructed wetland (CBCW) in treating aquaculture wastewater. Aquaculture wastewater from a Research Fishpond Farm was treated in a CBCW planted with Sacciolepsis africana and Commelina cyannae for 5?days retention time. Raw wastewater and the treated wastewater from the constructed wetland (CW) was sampled and the physicochemical parameters determined. The performance of the CW in treating aquaculture wastewater was conducted. The result showed that the CBCW was capable of removing 50% TSS, 88% COD, 93% BOD_5, and 100% nitrate nitrogen. The pH and DO of the wastewater before treatment and after treatment ranged from 6.68 to 6.91 and 4.13 to 6.30?mg/l, respectively. Thus, CWs have great potential for the treatment of aquaculture wastewater and prevention of environmental degradation through wastewater treatment, thereby solving the problem of water scarcity for agriculture for optimum food production.     

人工湿地及其在工业废水处理中的应用

论述了人工湿地污水处理技术的机理和优点,人工湿地利用基质、植物和微生物这个复合生态系统的物理、化学和生物的三重协调作用,通过过滤,吸附、共沉淀、离子交换,植物吸收和微生物分解来实现对废水的高效净化,同时通过营养物质和水分的生物地球化学循环,促进绿色植物生长并使其增产,实现废水的资源化与无害化;人工湿地污水处理系统具有出水水质稳定,对营养物质去除能力强,基建和运行费用低,技术含量低,维护管理方便,耐冲击负荷强,适于处理间歇排放的污水和具有美学价值等优点,该技术不仅能够在发展中国家和发达国家的城市生活污水处理中广泛应用,其在工业废水处理中的应用也正在不断受到重视,根据人工湿地在工业废水处理中的研究和应用现状,指出了人工湿地处理特殊工业废水的前景及今后的研究方向。     

Enhancing the fish production potential of Lake Victoria papyrus wetlands,Kenya, using seasonal flood-dependent ponds

We present the findings of a participatory experiment on integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems (Fingerponds) at the Lake Victoria wetlands, Kenya. Fingerponds are flood-based lacustrine or floodplain wetland fishponds. The aim of the study was to explore, within a wetland/floodplain interface environment, the potential of semi-intensive fish production to enhance the wetland fishery and protect the natural ecosystem from wide-scale, destructive encroachment. The ponds were stocked naturally by flood water. After flood recession, livestock manure was added to the ponds and the effects of manuring on water and sediment quality and fish yields were studied. Manuring had positive effects on the nitrogen, phosphorous and chlorophyll a concentrations of the pond water. Regression analysis results indicated that site, manuring and environmental and climatic variables explained 58–70% of the variation in dissolved nitrogen and phosphorous, and 71% of the variation in chorophyll a. Manuring enhanced the total phosphorus concentration in the sediment but it only had marginal effects on total nitrogen. Although the net fish yields were highly variable between sites and seasons, ranging from 402 to 1069 kg ha⁻¹, the data showed that manuring was advantageous. The duration of the culture period, site variability and manuring explained 82% of the variation in fish yields. We conclude that Fingerponds fertilized with livestock manure from abutting riparian subsistence agriculture can improve fish production, enhance food diversity and security and contribute to more efficient use of papyrus wetlands for food production. This in turn may reduce large-scale conversion of wetlands to agriculture.     

Emergy evaluations of three aquaculture systems on wetlands surrounding the Pearl River Estuary,China

Emergy and economic analysis, accompanied by sensitivity analysis, were used to evaluate the ecological economic characteristics of three fish aquaculture systems on wetlands surrounding the Pearl River Estuary in China. The sustainability of these systems was compared to two aquaculture systems and two wetland systems, to provide reference conditions for the best use of limited wetland areas. We found that the three systems studied had similar emergy characteristics, despite their very different economic characteristics. Counter intuitively, the high economic input and output mode did not have higher environmental impact or lower sustainability compared with low economic input and output mode. Apparently, the sustainability of an intensive aquaculture system is determined mainly by how many natural renewable resources are exploited. The large differences in economic benefit and environmental impacts between the mangrove reserve and the aquaculture systems demonstrated the important role of nature reserves on preserving the sustainability of an estuary. Transformity (TR) and Emergy Yield Ratio (EYR) are both indicators of system efficiency, but from different points of view, and they produced opposite results in assessing the efficiency of the same system in this study. The ratio of EYR to TR might be used in addition to the EYR and transformity as a discreet perspective on overall system production efficiency.     

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates from domestic wastewater in pilot constructed wetlands and a gravel filter

Removal efficiencies of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) and linear alkyl benzene sulfonates (LAS) were evaluated in a pilot-scale constructed wetland (CW) system combining a free water surface wetland, a subsurface wetland and a gravel filter in parallel. The effect of parameters such as temperature and mass loading rate was also examined. The subsurface constructed wetland system was found to have the overall best performance on pollutants removal. In particular, the average removal of PAHs and LAS was 79.2% and 55.5% for the SSF (Subsurface Flow) constructed wetland, 68.2% and 30.0% for the FWS (Free Water Surface) constructed wetland and 73.3% and 40.9% for the gravel filter, respectively. Removal efficiency and the estimated first-order volumetric removal rate constant (k_v) for both PAHs and LAS decreased with increasing water temperature. The experimental results suggest that the absorption in solid media is the main mechanism for xenobiotics removal in constructed wetlands and that the overall performance of the SSF wetland is significantly better than the FWS wetland or the gravel filter.     

A research framework for identifying potential linkages between isolated wetlands and disease ecology

Isolated wetlands are ideal model systems to examine linkages between environmental change, complex food webs, and the ecology of mosquito-borne diseases. Through long-term studies, we have evaluated the diversity among plant, invertebrate, and amphibian species of relatively undisturbed isolated wetlands. Based on preliminary evidence from impaired wetlands, we have developed a conceptual model to examine how human land use and climate change may affect wetland ecosystem functions that ultimately link to the proliferation of mosquito-borne diseases through the alteration of food webs and mosquito habitat. Our research framework initially requires the development of a wetland condition ranking system for a large group of isolated wetlands based on potential habitat for mosquitoes that vector disease. Secondly, it identifies potential changes in ecosystem function that specifically address the role of aquatic fauna in mediating mosquito-borne infectious diseases. Ultimately, understanding ecological functions and services will help focus the need for better management practices and potential regulation of impacts to isolated wetland habitats in the USA.     

Effects of constructed wetland system on the removal of dibutyl phthalate (DBP)

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) have become widely diffused in the environment via the manufacturing process. Numerous experiments have shown that the bioaccumulation of PAEs occurred in the aquatic and terrestrial food chain; meanwhile, it was found that some of PAEs were considered as potential carcinogens, teratogens and mutagens. In this research, two vertical/reverse-vertical flow constructed wetland systems were set up to study its removal efficiency of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) pollution. The results showed that the constructed wetland system could remove DBP effectively, and the removal rates reached nearly 100%. Substrate microorganism and enzymatic activities probably played key roles during DBP removal, and the removal of DBP probably mainly took place in the upper layer of chamber A in the constructed wetland systems.     

两种生物电化学系统原位缓解人工湿地生物堵塞效果

生物电化学系统(Bio-electrochemical Systems, BES)利用附加电场或自产电场可以促进EPS分散、降解和利用,可在一定程度上控制和缓解人工湿地的生物堵塞。为此,研究采用CW-MEC和CW-MFC两种生物电化学系统对不同生物堵塞时期的人工湿地进行干预,通过比较系统直观堵塞指标(孔隙率、出水速率)、净化效果(COD和氮的去除)及垂直方向上分层EPS的含量等来评价不同干预时机,两种BES系统对生物堵塞的缓解能力。结果表明:两种BES系统均能体现较好的堵塞缓解效果。堵塞前干预, CW-MFC系统能很好地维持污染物COD、TN去除效果(91.4%—61.3%和65%—40%)并提高出水速率(变化率为CW组67.6%);堵塞后修复,CW-MEC系统能显著减少上层EPS含量,恢复系统孔隙率,具有更好的缓解堵塞效果。这两种BES系统原位缓解人工湿地生物堵塞方面皆有较好的应用潜力。     

Accumulation and Distribution of Lead and Chromium in Laboratory-Scale Constructed Wetlands Inoculated with Metal-Tolerant Bacteria

The accumulation and distribution of lead and chromium was tested in a laboratory-scale constructed wetland (CW) inoculated with metal-tolerant bacteria. Two non-inoculated systems also were evaluated, one planted and the other unplanted. Mass balances indicated that 57% of chromium input was accumulated into inoculated CW after 151 days of operation. The distribution was similar in support media and vegetation, in which 78% was transferred to aerial part. Similarly Pb was accumulated 29% in the support media and 39% in vegetation, which was distributed 52% in rhizome and 48% in aerial part. Significantly lower amounts of heavy metals were accumulated in non-inoculated systems than in the inoculated wetlands (p < 0.005). In addition, a markedly higher proportion of chromium in aerial vegetation and of lead in the suspended fraction of the effluent was exhibited, which raises a subsequent recovery of the metal by harvest and settling, respectively. Results indicate that CW inoculated with metal-tolerant bacteria might be a suitable option for treating wastewater with content of lead and chromium.     

Assessment of the cultivation parameters of the pearl cichlid Geophagus brasiliensis in biofloc and clear water systems

Geophagus brasiliensis is a species native from Brazilian continental waters and it is distributed in several aquatic ecosystems. Despite its importance to artisanal fishing, mainly for riverside communities, and fishkeeping, this species is an unusual resource for aquaculture. Fish farming can be carried out in different systems, as in biofloc system (BFT), which has some advantages comparing to traditional semi-intensive systems: high densities, maximizing the use of water and food provided. The objective was to evaluate the rearing of the G. brasiliensis in a BFT comparing with a clean water system (CW), considering the zootechnical performance, water quality and microorganisms community. The experiment lasted 40 days and was carried out in tanks with a useful volume of 200 L, with three repetitions for each treatment. To compare the two systems, the fish conditions (weight-length ratio, condition factor and zootechnical performance) and the conditions of the environment (water quality and composition of microorganisms in the BFT treatment) were evaluated. BFT animals showed higher zootechnical performance (final weight, weight gain and feed conversion) when compared to treatment CW. The water quality showed a difference between BFT and CW for all levels except temperature and N-ammoniacal; however, it was within the acceptable limits for cichlids in the two treatments. Eight rates of microorganisms, potential food for the fish, were found in the BFT treatment during the experiment. The species G. brasiliensis showed a higher zootechnical performance in a biofloc system compared to the clear water system, indicating the potential for cultivation in intensive production systems.     

Strategies for effective mosquito control in constructed treatment wetlands

Constructed wetlands hold considerable promise for providing water quality and wildlife habitat benefits. At the same time, constructed wetlands have been described as “mosquito-friendly habitats” and may raise potential conflicts with neighboring human populations. Conflicts arise because some design features, such as shallow water and emergent vegetation that are essential for optimizing water quality polishing, can result in undesirable increases in mosquito production. The attraction of large numbers of birds to constructed wetlands could also increase the risk of transmission of mosquito-borne viral infections to humans in the vicinity of the wetland. The potential for conflict is typically highest in arid regions where natural mosquito populations have limited abundance and are found near newly urbanizing areas.The creation of wildlife habitat is a significant goal of many treatment wetlands. Humans are also welcome in many treatment wetlands for recreational and educational activities. Risks of disease transmission to humans and livestock as well as the inconvenience of mosquitoes as pests must be offset by the economic savings of inexpensive water quality enhancement and the resulting reduction in pollution that also poses a risk to society’s health and well-being. Ecological risks associated with the use of mosquito control chemicals must be offset by the increased habitat benefits provided by these constructed wetlands. The right balance between these competing goals can be recognized by the design that provides the greatest net environmental and societal benefit. This paper describes these tradeoffs between mosquito control and the constructed wetland technology and provides a synthesis of information that can be used to optimize the benefits of these wetland systems. Basic research is recommended to better define the cost-effectiveness of the various design and management options.     

贵州草海湿地生态系统服务价值评估

贵州草海是中国三大高原淡水湖泊之一,其湿地生态系统能给人类提供产品和服务,为社会可持续发展提供基础,由于其价值没有被量化,人们对其重要性缺乏直观认识,导致了湿地的不合理开发及利用。根据草海湿地的特征,运用市场价值法、影子工程法、问卷调查法等定量评估了2010年草海湿地生态系统最终服务价值,包括供给服务、调节服务和文化服务。结果表明,草海湿地生态系统服务总价值为4.39×108元,其中供给服务价值为0.74×108元,调节服务价值为1.14×108元,文化服务价值为2.51×108元;所计算的10项服务按其价值大小排序为:休闲娱乐生物多样性与景观资源保护水资源供给调蓄洪水气候调节补给地下水大气组分调节原材料生产水质净化食物生产;单位面积服务价值为16.40×104元/hm2,是2010年贵州省威宁县单位面积GDP产值的16.91倍。从研究结果来看,草海湿地生态系统服务价值较大,为草海湿地的管理及保护提供了一定参考依据。     

Aquaculture: global status and trends

Aquaculture contributed 43 per cent of aquatic animal food for human consumption in 2007 (e.g. fish, crustaceans and molluscs, but excluding mammals, reptiles and aquatic plants) and is expected to grow further to meet the future demand. It is very diverse and, contrary to many perceptions, dominated by shellfish and herbivorous and omnivorous pond fish either entirely or partly utilizing natural productivity. The rapid growth in the production of carnivorous species such as salmon, shrimp and catfish has been driven by globalizing trade and favourable economics of larger scale intensive farming. Most aquaculture systems rely on low/uncosted environmental goods and services, so a critical issue for the future is whether these are brought into company accounts and the consequent effects this would have on production economics. Failing that, increased competition for natural resources will force governments to allocate strategically or leave the market to determine their use depending on activities that can extract the highest value. Further uncertainties include the impact of climate change, future fisheries supplies (for competition and feed supply), practical limits in terms of scale and in the economics of integration and the development and acceptability of new bio-engineering technologies.In the medium term, increased output is likely to require expansion in new environments, further intensification and efficiency gains for more sustainable and cost-effective production. The trend towards enhanced intensive systems with key monocultures remains strong and, at least for the foreseeable future, will be a significant contributor to future supplies. Dependence on external feeds (including fish), water and energy are key issues. Some new species will enter production and policies that support the reduction of resource footprints and improve integration could lead to new developments as well as reversing decline in some more traditional systems.     

Agronomic improvements can make future cereal systems in South Asia far more productive and result in a lower environmental footprint

South Asian countries will have to double their food production by 2050 while using resources more efficiently and minimizing environmental problems. Transformative management approaches and technology solutions will be required in the major grain‐producing areas that provide the basis for future food and nutrition security. This study was conducted in four locations representing major food production systems of densely populated regions of South Asia. Novel production‐scale research platforms were established to assess and optimize three futuristic cropping systems and management scenarios (S2, S3, S4) in comparison with current management (S1). With best agronomic management practices (BMPs), including conservation agriculture (CA) and cropping system diversification, the productivity of rice‐ and wheat‐based cropping systems of South Asia increased substantially, whereas the global warming potential intensity (GWPi) decreased. Positive economic returns and less use of water, labor, nitrogen, and fossil fuel energy per unit food produced were achieved. In comparison with S1, S4, in which BMPs, CA and crop diversification were implemented in the most integrated manner, achieved 54% higher grain energy yield with a 104% increase in economic returns, 35% lower total water input, and a 43% lower GWPi. Conservation agriculture practices were most suitable for intensifying as well as diversifying wheat–rice rotations, but less so for rice–rice systems. This finding also highlights the need for characterizing areas suitable for CA and subsequent technology targeting. A comprehensive baseline dataset generated in this study will allow the prediction of extending benefits to a larger scale.     

‘HALOPHYTE FILTERS’: THE POTENTIAL OF CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS FOR APPLICATION IN SALINE AQUACULTURE

World consumption of seafood continues to rise, but the seas and oceans are already overexploited. Land-based (saline) aquaculture may offer a sustainable way to meet the growing demand for fish and shellfish. A major problem of aquaculture is nutrient waste, as most of the nutrients added through feed are released into the environment in dissolved form. Wetlands are nature's water purifiers. Constructed wetlands are commonly used to treat contaminated freshwater effluent. Experience with saline systems is more limited. This paper explores the potential of constructed saline wetlands for treating the nutrient-rich discharge from land-based saline aquaculture systems. The primary function of constructed wetlands is water purification, but other ancillary benefits can also be incorporated into treatment wetland designs. Marsh vegetation enhances landscape beauty and plant diversity, and wetlands may offer habitat for fauna and recreational areas. Various approaches can be taken in utilizing plants (halophytes, macro-algae, micro-algae) in the treatment of saline aquaculture effluent. Their strengths and weaknesses are reviewed here, and a conceptual framework is presented that takes into account economic and ecological benefits as well as spatial constraints. Use of the framework is demonstrated for assessing various saline aquaculture systems in the southwestern delta region of the Netherlands.     

Food waste valorization via anaerobic processes: a review

The increasing production of food waste worldwide and new international regulations call for the development of new technologies to treat this biowaste. Anaerobic processes are able to treat efficiently organic wastes, producing at the same time different value-added compounds. In addition, due to the lower costs and environmental impacts associated with these processes when compared to other options, they are among the most promising technologies for food waste treatment. This article reviews the state-of-the-art dealing with treatment of food waste by anaerobic processes, with emphasis on the most recent research carried out. The different processes that are assessed are anaerobic digestion for methane production, anaerobic fermentation for hydrogen and/or volatile fatty acids production and 2-stage systems. The primary issues associated with each alternative are presented, paying special attention to accumulation of ammonia and volatile fatty acids in the reactor. In addition, the latest developments to overcome the complications of each system are also described, focusing on how they improve its stability and performance. Moreover, the relevant economic and environmental research has also been reviewed, including several life cycle analyses that compare anaerobic processes with other technologies used for food waste treatment. Different case studies are also presented. Finally, recommendations for future research for the anaerobic processes studied and options for process integration are discussed. Moving towards the idea of a circular economy, a potential biorefinery for food waste valorization is also proposed.     

Potential consequences of climate change for primary production and fish production in large marine ecosystems

Existing methods to predict the effects of climate change on the biomass and production of marine communities are predicated on modelling the interactions and dynamics of individual species, a very challenging approach when interactions and distributions are changing and little is known about the ecological mechanisms driving the responses of many species. An informative parallel approach is to develop size-based methods. These capture the properties of food webs that describe energy flux and production at a particular size, independent of species'' ecology. We couple a physical–biogeochemical model with a dynamic, size-based food web model to predict the future effects of climate change on fish biomass and production in 11 large regional shelf seas, with and without fishing effects. Changes in potential fish production are shown to most strongly mirror changes in phytoplankton production. We project declines of 30–60% in potential fish production across some important areas of tropical shelf and upwelling seas, most notably in the eastern Indo-Pacific, the northern Humboldt and the North Canary Current. Conversely, in some areas of the high latitude shelf seas, the production of pelagic predators was projected to increase by 28–89%.     

Edible insects: Traditional knowledge or western phobia?

With an increasing human population and environmental degradation, the world faces a major problem in providing adequate animal based proteins. Many traditional societies have used or still use insects as a protein source, while westernized societies are reluctant to use insects, despite being the major consumers of animal proteins. We now need to consider insects as a source of food for humans in a manner that acknowledges both the role of entomophagy in indigenous societies and the need for westernized societies to reduce the size of their environmental footprint with regard to food production. The situation on continents such as Africa, Asia, and Central and South America has some parallels to Australia in that there are two forces in operation: the sustainable traditional use of edible insects and the "westernization" of these societies leading to a movement away from entomophagy. However, the potential to reach a compromise is greater in these continents because entomophagy is already accepted. The major challenges will be establishing sustainable production systems that include food safety and security as well as environmental protection. Whether this will happen or not will depend upon: (i) a major change in attitude in westernized societies towards entomophagy; (ii) pressure to conserve remaining habitats in a sustainable manner; (iii) economic impetus to develop food production systems that include insects; and (iv) an acknowledgement that achieving adequate nutrition on a global basis will involve different diets in much of the developed world.     

Systems ecological accounting for wastewater treatment engineering: Method,indicator and application

Wastewater treatment facility is vital for sustainable urban development. In the course of removing contaminants and discharging ready-for-reuse water, wastewater treatment consumes resources and triggers environmental emission during its lifetime. A comprehensive framework to analyze the embodied ecological elements as natural resources and environmental emissions of wastewater treatment is presented in this work. The systems method as a combination of process and input–output analyses is applied and a set of indicators are accordingly devised. Two representative ecological elements, i.e., greenhouse gases emissions and solar emergy of alternative wastewater treatment systems, i.e., a traditional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant and a constructed wetland have been taken into consideration. For each ecological element, five indicators have been calculated and compared to assess the impact on climate change and resources utilizing style of the case systems. The framework raised in this paper is fully supportive for optimal decision-making among different wastewater treatment technologies, and could be transplanted to be applied to systems ecological accounting for other production systems.     

Modularity in the skull and cranial vasculature of laboratory mice: implications for the evolution of complex phenotypes

The generation of coordinated morphological change over time results from the interconnectedness of evolution and development. The modular architecture of development results in varying degrees of integration and independence among parts of the phenotype, and facilitates the production of phenotypic variation in complex anatomical units composed of multiple tissue types. Here we use geometric morphometrics to investigate modularity in the arterial Circle of Willis (CW) and skull of the CD-1 laboratory mouse. We contrast a hypothesis of tight integration between these tissues with a hypothesis of more modular organization, to determine the level at which natural selection works to generate coordinated change. We report a complex pattern of covariation that indicates that the skull and CW are highly integrated and developmentally linked. Further, we report higher levels of fluctuating asymmetry in the CW than in the skull, suggesting a greater potential for lability in this tissue. These results suggest that epigenetic interactions or genetic influences on regional development are more important determinants of covariation structure than the factors that produce covariation within individual tissues or organ systems.