Sustainable Aqua-Agriculture Production Using a Novel Integrated Recirculating Marine Aquaponics System
Shanmugam Gunabal
Department of Marine Science, Marine Planktonology and Aquaculture Laboratory, School of Marine Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India.
Karuppaiya Nanthini Devi
Department of Marine Science, Marine Planktonology and Aquaculture Laboratory, School of Marine Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India.
Gunaseelan Roseline Jebapriya
Department of Marine Science, Marine Planktonology and Aquaculture Laboratory, School of Marine Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India.
Perumal Santhanam *
Department of Marine Science, Marine Planktonology and Aquaculture Laboratory, School of Marine Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India.
Veeran Yoganandan
Department of Marine Science, Marine Planktonology and Aquaculture Laboratory, School of Marine Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aquaponics stands as an advancing closed-loop food production method, integrating recirculating aquaculture with hydroponics. This cutting-edge system integrates hydroponics with recirculating aquaculture to develop a sustainable method for food production. The present research is geared towards specific objectives that are pivotal in establishing an integrated technology for aquaculture wastewater treatment and fostering a sustainable hydroponic system. These objectives encompass designing and constructing a small-scale aquaponics system, analyzing the water quality, and evaluating the growth, survival rate, and biochemical composition of both white-legged shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and Amaranthus viridis plants. From the experiments, NFT-grown organisms had higher levels of adjacent compounds such as protein (36.31±0.24%), carbohydrate (7.23±0.34%), lipid (1.05±0.12%) and moisture (3.74±0.15%) compared to control. Furthermore, in both culture systems, A. viridis showed higher growth in length (11.4 cm) and weight (<1 g) than the NFT control, which showed higher growth (10.7 cm) and weight (<1 g). Further research and implementation of alternative agricultural methods could increase local food production and keep the industry away from the global food market.
Keywords: Aquaponics, biochemical composition, NFT, Litopenaeus vannamei, Amaranthus viridis