Sustainable Photochemical Tech Purifies Aquaculture Water
Pathogens continue to pose a threat to modern aquaculture. However, with the new sustainable photochemical technology developed by a team of researchers, recirculating aquaculture systems may have just found the ideal defense and solution they need.
A study featured in the Journal of Environmental Management has introduced a novel water treatment method that uses UV-C photoassisted advanced oxidation processes. This method eliminates antibiotics and bacteria from the water. It also prevents toxic by-products, minimizing its impact on the environment.
Based on the tests they conducted, researchers from the Superior Technical School of Industrial Engineers (ETSII) in Madrid, Spain, found that this method effectively degraded over 80% of the antibiotic Amoxicillin in the water within 45 minutes. It also successfully inactivated the bacterium Enterococcus faecalis in just 60 seconds. Moreover, the treated water remained disinfected for two weeks after the treatment.
However, more than the effectiveness of their photochemical technology, the team also takes pride in the minimal environmental footprint of their work. Unlike traditional disinfection methods, this new approach prevents any form of contamination caused by toxic chemical by-products.
The team said:
“Our work represents a decisive step towards a more sustainable aquaculture, capable of safely producing food with a lower environmental impact.”
To achieve this, researchers assessed several oxidants and identified three that were ideal for use in recirculating aquaculture systems: hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and persulphate. Results showed that these oxidants did not produce detectable levels of toxic by-products from disinfection processes. This discovery enables the regeneration and reuse of water within systems without harming the environment.
The next step for the team is to conduct pilot-scale trials to evaluate feasibility and determine potential areas for improvement.
Read the full article here to learn more about the new sustainable photochemical technology.
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