Simultaneous utilization of CO2 and nitrate wastes from compact recirculating aquaculture system for improving algal biomass (Scenedesmus armatus) production

Abstract

Tilapia cultivation in an air-tight culture tank of a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) was conducted for 8 days to produce CO2 for growing Scenedesmus armatus in bubble column photobioreactors. The average CO2 concentrations in the headspace of the culture tank were determined at 925 ± 73.4 and 1619 ± 197.7 ppm for fish stocking densities of 3 and 10 kg/m3, respectively. These CO2 concentrations were higher than CO2 concentrations at the tank inlet (496 ± 13.9 ppm) exposed to the atmosphere. Using the captured CO2 and nitrate from the effluent of a commercial tilapia farm for cultivating S. armatus yielded higher algal biomass concentration (621 ± 41.2 mg/L) than using ambient air (410 ± 30.1 mg/L). Insufficient nitrate in RAS effluent is the limiting factor for CO2 utilization and algal biomass production. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the possibility of repurposing CO2 from RAS to enhance algal cultivation.