The Effect of Acidification on the Mineralization Rate of RAS Effluent in Anaerobic Batch Reactors for Reuse of a Naturally-Derived Hydroponic Fertilizer
Type of Presentation
Poster
Type of Project
Independent Research
Presenter 1 Program
BTEC
Presenter 1 Location
326 Market Street, Harrisburg
Presenter 2 Program
BTEC
Presenter 2 Location
326 Market Street, Harrisburg
Presenter 3 Program
ENVS
Presenter 3 Location
326 Market Street, Harrisburg
Project Description
Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) require 95-99% less water than alternative fish farming methods and offer intensive, location-independent and season-independent seafood production. Commercial RAS is constrained by the generation of nutrient-dense effluent that requires costly treatment in municipal wastewater treatment plants as direct discharge into natural waterways will result in eutrophication. Previous studies have shown that the effluent contains most necessary plant nutrients and can be used as a hydroponic nutrient solution after treatment to increase plant availability of nutrients through solids mineralization and removal of heterotrophic growth promoting organic matter (OM). Anaerobic treatment (AT) is commonly used to reduce total solids and OM in municipal and agricultural waste treatment, and has provided promising results in developing a hydroponic nutrient solution from RAS effluent. The objective of this study is to determine if acidification would improve solids mineralization and OM removal rates in RAS effluent in continuously mixed anaerobic batch bioreactors by comparing triplicated treatments at a pH of 5.5 and 7.0. Solids mineralization and OM removal rates will be determined by total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal over a 15-day period. It is expected that the lower pH will result in more rapid reduction rates by enhancing the anaerobic hydrolysis and acidification processes. This work will provide foundational data for optimizing effluent valorization techniques in RAS to improve economic and environmental sustainability while providing hydroponics with a naturally-derived nutrient source to reduce reliance on finite mineral fertilizers.
Faculty Member
Rachel Fogle and Joseph Tetreault
The Effect of Acidification on the Mineralization Rate of RAS Effluent in Anaerobic Batch Reactors for Reuse of a Naturally-Derived Hydroponic Fertilizer
Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) require 95-99% less water than alternative fish farming methods and offer intensive, location-independent and season-independent seafood production. Commercial RAS is constrained by the generation of nutrient-dense effluent that requires costly treatment in municipal wastewater treatment plants as direct discharge into natural waterways will result in eutrophication. Previous studies have shown that the effluent contains most necessary plant nutrients and can be used as a hydroponic nutrient solution after treatment to increase plant availability of nutrients through solids mineralization and removal of heterotrophic growth promoting organic matter (OM). Anaerobic treatment (AT) is commonly used to reduce total solids and OM in municipal and agricultural waste treatment, and has provided promising results in developing a hydroponic nutrient solution from RAS effluent. The objective of this study is to determine if acidification would improve solids mineralization and OM removal rates in RAS effluent in continuously mixed anaerobic batch bioreactors by comparing triplicated treatments at a pH of 5.5 and 7.0. Solids mineralization and OM removal rates will be determined by total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal over a 15-day period. It is expected that the lower pH will result in more rapid reduction rates by enhancing the anaerobic hydrolysis and acidification processes. This work will provide foundational data for optimizing effluent valorization techniques in RAS to improve economic and environmental sustainability while providing hydroponics with a naturally-derived nutrient source to reduce reliance on finite mineral fertilizers.