APLICAÇÃO DA “SPIRULINA” Arthrospira platensis NA REMOÇÃO DE MACRONUTRIENTES DE ÁGUA DE PISCICULTURA

Abstract

Fish farming is an expanding production activity due to market demands, but the effluent generated by this 
culture modality is loaded with nutrients that can cause eutrophication if not treated before being released into the water 
body. Cyanobacteria, such as spirulina, are able to utilize the nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, present in these wastewater by converting them into biomass, characterized as a rich source of unicellular protein. The present work had the objective of evaluating the bioconversion of nitrogen from the effluent of a fish farm through a photobioreactor with Arthrospira platensis (known as spirulina). The water quality parameter analyzed to determine the efficiency of the treatment model was ammoniacal nitrogen. A reduction of the ammonia concentration of the effluent greater than 99% after cyanobacteria treatment was observed, demonstrating that the spirulina treatment system has the potential to decrease the levels of nitrogen in the effluent and to improve its quality for release into the water body receiver.