Cultivating Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus quadricauda microalgae to degrade inorganic compounds and pesticides in water.
This work evaluates the possibility of cultivating Scenedesmus quadricauda and Chlorella vulgaris microalgae in wastewater from the hydroponic cultivation of tomatoes with the aim of purifying the water. S. quadricauda and C. vulgaris were also used in purification tests carried out on water contaminated by the following active ingredients: metalaxyl, pyrimethanil, fenhexamid, iprodione, and triclopyr. Fifty-six days after the inoculum was placed, a reduction was found in the concentration of nitric nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, and soluble and total phosphorus. The decrease was 99, 83, 94, and 94 %, respectively, for C. vulgaris and 99, 5, 88, and 89 %, respectively, for S. quadricauda. When the microalgae were present, all the agrochemicals tested were removed more quickly from the water than from the sterile control (BG11). The increase in the rate of degradation was in the order metalaxyl > fenhexamid > iprodione > triclopyr > pyrimethanil. It was demonstrated that there was a real degradation of fenhexamid, metalaxyl, triclopyr, and iprodione, while in the case of pyrimethanil, the active ingredient removed from the substrate was absorbed onto the cells of the microalgae. It was also found that the agrochemicals used in the tests had no significant effect on the growth of the two microalgae. The experiment highlighted the possibility of using cultivations of C. vulgaris and S. quadricauda as purification systems for agricultural wastewater which contains eutrophic inorganic compounds such as nitrates and phosphates and also different types of pesticides.
Agricultural Chemistry Section, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Catania University, via S. Sofia 98, 95123, Catania, Italy. abaglie@unict.it.
Andrea
A
Baglieri
Agricultural Chemistry Section, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Catania University, via S. Sofia 98, 95123, Catania, Italy.
Sarah
S
Sidella
Agricultural Chemistry Section, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Catania University, via S. Sofia 98, 95123, Catania, Italy.
Valeria
V
Barone
Agricultural Chemistry Section, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Catania University, via S. Sofia 98, 95123, Catania, Italy.
Ferdinando
F
Fragalà
Centre of Sustainable Aquaculture Research, Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8pp, UK.
Alla
A
Silkina
Agricultural Chemistry Section, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Turin University, largo P. Braccini 2, 10095, Turin, Italy.
Michèle
M
Nègre
Agricultural Chemistry Section, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Catania University, via S. Sofia 98, 95123, Catania, Italy.
Mara
M
Gennari
D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D044444:Scenedesmus / Q000378:metabolism*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification
D009584:Nitrogen; D010575:Pesticides; D010710:Phosphates; D010758:Phosphorus; D062065:Wastewater; D014867:Water; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Chlorella vulgaris; Decontamination; Fenhexamid; Greenhouse wastewater; Iprodione; Metalaxyl; Scenedesmus quadricauda; Triclopyr