Use of Zeolite (Chabazite) Supplemented with Effective Microorganisms for Wastewater Mitigation of a Marine Fish Farm

Mauro Lenzi (), Marco Leporatti Persiano, Maurizio Ciarapica and Antonella D’Agostino
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Mauro Lenzi: Lagoon Ecology and Aquaculture Laboratory (LEALab), Via G. Leopardi 9, 58015 Orbetello, Italy
Marco Leporatti Persiano: Lagoon Ecology and Aquaculture Laboratory (LEALab), Via G. Leopardi 9, 58015 Orbetello, Italy
Maurizio Ciarapica: Lagoon Ecology and Aquaculture Laboratory (LEALab), Via G. Leopardi 9, 58015 Orbetello, Italy
Antonella D’Agostino: Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of chabazite zeolite in mitigating ammonia levels in wastewater from a land-based marine fish farm in southern Tuscany (Italy). The fish farm discharges effluent into a lagoon, constituting an important eutrophication source. The experimental setup involved a pond/canal that received wastewater from three sea bream tanks (40 L/s). A 50 m canal section was divided into two parallel halves (T and B), each about 3 m wide. In T, a chabazite bed (granules about 3 cm ϕ) was placed that was about 6 cm thick; B was untreated and used as a control. Five sampling trials were conducted in both T and B to determine N-NH 4 , N-NO 3 , and P-PO 4 levels, in surface and near-bottom waters at both input and output. Prior to the zeolite addition, T and B sediments were sampled for TN and TP determination. Results indicated the not-managed canal system released nutrients and the output values were higher than the input, overshadowing the zeolite effects. Significant zeolite effects were observed by comparing B and T for differences between input and output: in T, nitrate increased ( p = 0.05), demonstrating a resumption of nitrification, and ammonium ( p = 0.07) and SRP ( p = 0.06) decreased, in contrast to B.

Keywords: fish farm wastewater; sewage mitigation; settling ponds; zeolite chabazite; nitrogen; phosphorus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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