The use of a tilapia hybrid to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater

UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Emily E. Blalock (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
Advisor
Larry Cahoon

Abstract: This study examined the ability of a fish-periphyton system to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. Other studies have shown that systems such as this are capable of removing nutrients; however, they either lacked controls, used fish of mixed age classes, or consisted of only one trial. The goal of this study was to use a one-tank system instead of a series of tanks to examine removal, as well as to compare the removal efficiencies of juvenile and adult fish. Three trials were conducted in the summer of 2003 consisting of three weeks each. Influent flowed in and out of each tank separately (as opposed to a series of tanks as in other studies) and was received by three treatments: algae alone as a control, tanks of 10 adults weighing an average of 100g each, and tanks of 100 juveniles weighing 1g each. Reduction of nitrogen in the influent occurred at an overall rate of 142g day-1 tank-1 for algae alone, 70.1g day-1 tank-1 for juveniles, and an effluent increase of 44.4g day-1 tank-1 for adults. Total phosphorus was not removed on average by any treatment, possibly due to the tanks not being run in an interconnected series. This study suggests that if fish are to be used in a wastewater treatment system, juveniles would be more efficient at removing nitrogen than adults.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
Language: English
Date: 2009
Keywords
Fish culture--Water reuse, Sewage--Purification, Sewage--Removal of nitrogen, Sewage--Removal of phosphorus, Tilapia, Water--Purification--Biological treatment
Subjects
Sewage -- Purification
Sewage -- Removal of nitrogen
Sewage -- Removal of phosphorus
Tilapia
Fish culture -- Water reuse
Water -- Purification -- Biological treatment

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