Abstract

GALLEGO-ALARCON, Iván  and  GARCIA-PULIDO, Daury. Total ammonia nitrogen removal in a bio filter: Trickling filter-sand column. Tecnol. cienc. agua [online]. 2017, vol.8, n.1, pp.81-93. ISSN 2007-2422.  https://doi.org/10.24850/j-tyca-2017-01-06.

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have in biofiltration a key to sustain aquatic life and the volumetric conversion rate of total ammonia nitrogen (TVCNAT) a parameter to determine the nutrient load that a biofilter can process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal process through the TVCNAT from an UFiPA biofilter. This experiment was carried out in a RAS. Biofiltration was performed by combining a trickling process and a mechanical filtration. 418 organisms were used, with a length of 19 cm and weight of 287 g, a biomass of 119.96 kg at a density of 13.3 kg/m3. To determine the efficiency and the TVCNAT a 62 days experiment was conducted in a trickling-sand biofilter. Stratified sampling was used, with a confidence level of 95%. The biofilter removal efficiency was 77.22 ± 0.5% of TAN; 26.46 ± 0.58 NO2-N; -1.20 ± 1.36% of NO3-N; 11.14 ± 0.67% of COD, and 40.79 ± 0.78% of TSS. The TVCNAT obtained for the biofilter was 147.12 ± 59.26 g TAN/m3·d. When analyzing separately the trickling process had a rate of 34.99 ± 41.20g TAN/ m3·d; the sand column rate was 119.65 ± 42.71g TAN/m3·d. The combination trickling-sand process had a specialized development in the removal of nitrogen compounds: removal efficiency greater than 70% TAN, with low values of TVCNAT.

Keywords : Nitrogen removal; volumetric conversion rate; recirculating aquaculture systems; total ammonia nitrogen.

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