Abstract
The growth of duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) was investigated in an outdoor batch system under 15 different conductivities ranging from 200 μS/cm to 3000 μS/cm with average 110 μmol/m2 daylight intensity. The growth was performed in an anaerobically treated domestic wastewater using an initial plants population of 50 fronds. Increase in Relative Growth Rate—RGR—(in terms of fresh weight and number of fronds) had a significant non-linear (polynomial) relationship with the conductivity. The maximum RGR related to fresh weight of 0.176 was observed at the conductiviity of 1200 μS/cm while the maximum RGR related to fronds number was 0.193 at the conductivity of 800 μS/cm. The optimum range for duckweeds growth was found to be between conductivities of 600 μS/cm and 1400 μS/cm. The maximal rates of removal of COD of 14.5 mg/day, of 0.65 mg/day, NTK of 15.68 mg/day, faecal coliforms of 100% and turbidity of 80.8% were observed in this range. The COD and PO42- removal rates were highly correlated to the growth rate, with the correlation factor of up to 0.783 and, then to the conductivity. The NTK reduction was positively related to the conductivity.
Highlights
Duckweeds are the simplest smallest aquatic flowering plants [1]
The growth of duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) was investigated in an outdoor batch system under 15 different conductivities ranging from 200 μS/cm to 3000 μS/cm with average 110 μmol/m2 daylight intensity
The maximum relative growth rate (RGR) related to fresh weight of 0.176 was observed at the conductiviity of 1200 μS/cm while the maximum RGR related to fronds number was 0.193 at the conductivity of 800 μS/cm
Summary
Duckweeds are the simplest smallest aquatic flowering plants [1] They grow in colonies forming a green dense and uniform mat covering the surface of the water. They belong to the scientific family of monocotyledon floating plants Lemnaceae which consist of 4 genera: Lemna, Spirodela, Wolffia and Wolffiella and 28 species [1,2]. In adequate growth conditions (temperature, nutrient, light intensity, salinity), these plants can double their total fronds number and biomass every 2 to 4 days [3,4,5,6]. They are one of the plants with the most vigorous growth on the earth [2,7]
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