Tratamiento de aguas residuales del cultivo intensivo de camarón blanco del Pacífico mediante el sistema MaB-floc, el Biofloc verde

Abstract

Aquaculture can enhance food security and generate economic benefits; however, it can also have negative environmental impacts. Effluent treatment systems have been developed to mitigate this environmental impact. The MaB-floc system was developed to address the need for oxygen and organic carbon supply inherent in the conventional Biofloc system. This pilot-scale study compared the effluent quality of MaB-flocS and BioflocS reactors treating surface effluents from an intensive culture of Pacific white shrimp, *Penaeus* (*Litopenaeus*) *vannamei* (Boone, 1931), conducted at CENAIM facilities. The MaB-flocS reactor was effective in the photosynthetic production of oxygen and the removal of biochemical oxygen demand. Both reactors reduced total nitrogen and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations. However, the BioflocS reactor was more effective at reducing N-NO2 and N-NO3 concentrations. The influent and effluents from both reactors met Ecuadorian standards for marine discharge and parameters for reuse in Pacific white shrimp culture, with the exception of reactive phosphorus (RP) and N-NO2 levels in the MaB-flocS system. Biomass from both reactors exhibited bioflocculating activity and good settling capacity. Future research is needed to valorize the biomass from both systems, conduct a life cycle analysis (LCA), and perform an economic analysis to determine which system is more beneficial. Additionally, the BioflocF reactor treated water from the bottom of the shrimp tank. This reactor was efficient for the removal of NAT and N-NO₃, but PR removal in this system needs to be improved.