Agronomic and Environmental Performance of Lemna minor Cultivated on Agricultural Wastewater Streams—A Practical Approach

Reindert Devlamynck, Marcella Fernandes de Souza, Evi Michels, Ivona Sigurnjak, Natalia Donoso, Carl Coudron, Jan Leenknegt, Pieter Vermeir, Mia Eeckhout and Erik Meers
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Reindert Devlamynck: Provincial Research and Advice Centre for Agriculture and Horticulture (Inagro vzw), Ieperseweg 87, 8800 Roeselare-Beitem, Belgium
Marcella Fernandes de Souza: Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Evi Michels: Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Ivona Sigurnjak: Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Natalia Donoso: Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Carl Coudron: Provincial Research and Advice Centre for Agriculture and Horticulture (Inagro vzw), Ieperseweg 87, 8800 Roeselare-Beitem, Belgium
Jan Leenknegt: Provincial Research and Advice Centre for Agriculture and Horticulture (Inagro vzw), Ieperseweg 87, 8800 Roeselare-Beitem, Belgium
Pieter Vermeir: Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Mia Eeckhout: Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Erik Meers: Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-26

Abstract: This study investigated the potential of Lemna minor to valorise agricultural wastewater in protein-rich feed material in order to meet the growing demand for animal feed protein and reduce the excess of nutrients in certain European regions. For this purpose, three pilot-scale systems were monitored for 175 days under outdoor conditions in Flanders. The systems were fed with the effluent of aquaculture (pikeperch production—PP), a mixture of diluted pig manure wastewater (PM), and a synthetic medium (SM). PM showed the highest productivity (6.1 ± 2.5 g DW m −2 d −1 ) and N uptake (327 ± 107 mg N m −2 d −1 ). PP yielded a similar productivity and both wastewaters resulted in higher productivities than SM. Furthermore, all media showed similar P uptake rates (65–70 P m −2 d −1 ). Finally, duckweed had a beneficial amino acid composition for humans (essential amino acid index = 1.1), broilers and pigs. This study also showed that the growing medium had more influence on the productivity of duckweed than on its amino acid composition or protein content, with the latter being only slightly affected by the different media studied. Overall, these results demonstrate that duckweed can effectively remove nutrients from agriculture wastewaters while producing quality protein.

Keywords: biological effluent treatment; nutrient recycling; Lemnaceae; constructed wetlands; protein alternatives; amino acid composition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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