Phytoremediation of ammonia using native macrophytes in an aquaponic system for tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) farming under different stocking densities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66778/RM.v09n01.06Keywords:
ammonia, nitrification, phytoremediation, Oreochromis spp. , water qualityAbstract
This study was conducted within the framework of the optimization and validation of a commercial-scale aquaponic prototype (208 m³), based on phytoremediation processes using native aquatic macrophytes as a sustainable alternative for managing nitrogenous compounds in intensive aquaculture, with potential application in vulnerable communities. The objective was to evaluate the efficiency of the system in reducing ammoniacal nitrogen in the culture of red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) under three stocking densities (18, 27, and 55 fish/m³). The experiment was carried out over eight weeks, during which water quality parameters including pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), NH₃-N, NO₂-N, and NO₃-N were monitored, comparing the system influent (fish tanks and sedimentation unit) with the treated effluent collected in a plant-associated reservoir. The results showed an effective reduction in ammonia, consistently low nitrite concentrations (< 0.06 mg/L), and a progressive accumulation of nitrates, indicating an active and functional nitrification process. Although system pH remained around 5.5—a condition considered limiting for conventional nitrification—the interaction between aquatic plant roots and epiphytic bacterial communities in the rhizosphere enabled efficient nitrogen treatment. As the main limitation, a decrease in dissolved oxygen was observed at higher stocking densities, highlighting the need to optimize aeration systems for future scaling processes. Overall, the results validate the use of native aquatic plants as functional components in aquaponic systems, demonstrating their capacity to maintain water quality under medium-to-high loading conditions and their applicability in resource-limited production contexts.
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