Potential for using Clinoptilolite Zeolites for Ammonia-N Transfer and Retention in

Integrated Aquaculture Systems

by

Christopher F. Knud-Hansen, SolarBee/Pump Systems, Inc., Colorado, USA Yuan Derun, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani, Thailand Yang Yi, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani, Thailand Ted R. Batterson, Michigan State University, Michigan, USA

Aquaculture 2004 Honolulu, HI 4 March 2004

Research Objectives

Assess the potential of crushed clinoptilolite zeolite to:

1) transfer ammonia-N from animal manures to ponds,

2) moderate ammonia-N concentrations in fertilized ponds, and

3) remove ammonia-N from discharged pond water.

Experiments

1. Bucket experiments (using clinoptilolite in mesh bags):

a) ammonia absorption: agitation versus non-agitation

b) algal growth versus ammonia-N conc. in clinoptilolite

2. Tank experiments (using bags soaked in swine manure):

a) Nile tilapia growth versus # of bags

b) moderate ammonia-N concentrations (not soaked)

c) absorb ammonia-N from discharged pond water

1 kg bag of crushed (2-4 mm) clinoptilolite zeolite

….. and flush

Swine manure

Chicken manure

0.000.050.100.150.200.250.300.350.400.450.50

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

Immersion time (hours)

TA

N (

%) CM-A

CM-NA

SM-A

SM-NA

Total ammonia-N (TAN) absorption by clinoptilolite versus time of immersion in chicken or swine manure with & without agitation

Figure 1.

log y = 0.199(log x) - 0.804

R2 = 0.977 P<0.001

-1.2

-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

-1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

Immersion time (log hours)

TA

N (

log

%)

Log total ammonia-N (TAN) absorption by clinoptilolite versus log time of immersion in swine manure without agitation

Figure 2.

y = 89.3x + 71.3

R2 = 0.762 P<0.05

60

70

80

90

100

110

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

Initial % TAN in Clinoptiolite

Ch

loro

ph

yll

a (

ug

/L)

Initial total ammonia-N (TAN) concentration in clinoptilolite versus algal growth

Figure 3.

Bucket Experiment Results

1. Clinoptilolite absorbed: 1.91 g N (from NH4Cl) per kg clinoptilolite 0.43 g N (from swine or chicken manure) per kg

2. Ammonia absorption was logarithmic, with most absorption occurring within first 2 days.

3. Agitation improved ammonia absorption from chicken manure, but no effect with swine manure.

4. Algae are able to use N adsorbed to clinoptilolite.

One week later ….

Tank Experiment: Tilapia Growth

Treatment Daily Wt. Gain

# of CZ bags Manure TSP1 Urea2 (g d-1 fish-1 ± se)

2 Y Y 0.62 ± 0.11 3 Y Y0.83 ± 0.09 4 Y Y0.97 ± 0.37

2 Y Y 0.62 ± 0.09 3 Y Y 0.51 ± 0.09 4 Y Y 0.62 ± 0.12

0 Y Y 0.47 ± 0.08 1 10 kg P ha-1 wk -1 2 30 kg N ha-1 wk-1

y = 4.695x + 25.85

R2 = 0.443 P<0.05

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 1 2 3 4 5

Number of Bags of Clinoptilolite

Me

an

Fis

h W

eig

ht

(g)

Number of manure-soaked bags of clinoptilolite/tank versus mean fish weight

Figure 4. (tank study)

y = -2.453x + 12.96

R2 = 0.881 P<0.001

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 1 2 3 4 5

Number of Clinoptilolite Bags

Me

an

DO

at

06

00

ho

urs

Number of manure-soaked bags of clinoptilolite/tank versus mean DO at dawn

Figure 5 (tank study)

Tank Experiment: Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN)

Treatment TAN

# of CZ bags Manure TSP1 Urea2 (mg L-1 ± se)

2 Y Y 0.01 ± 0.01 3 Y Y0.31 ± 0.08 4 Y Y0.37 ± 0.12

2 Y Y 1.34 ± 0.20 3 Y Y 1.41 ± 0.19 4 Y Y 1.19 ± 0.19

0 Y Y 1.40 ± 0.16 1 10 kg P ha-1 wk -1 2 30 kg N ha-1 wk-1

Tank Experiment Results

1. Tilapia NFY increased (P < 0.05) with increasing number of clinoptilolite bags soaked in swine manure.

2. Tilapia survival higher (96.7%) in tanks with bags with manure versus in tanks with bags without manure (83.7%).

3. DO decreased (P < 0.001) with increasing number of clinoptilolite bags soaked in swine manure.

4. Clinoptilolite bags were not able moderate ammonia concentrations in tanks.

5. Clinoptilolite bags were not able to effectively remove ammonia from discharged pond water.

Economic Analysis

Material Costs:

clinoptilolite = $0.13/kg mesh bag = $0.11/bag

1 kg of useable Nitrogen Costs:

clinoptilolite = $325.00 urea = $0.32

Therefore, it would take 1000 reuses of clinoptilolite bags to equal cost of urea-N

Conclusions

1. 0.4 g manure-N was absorbed per kg clinoptilolite (less than the 1.9 g/kg theoretical maximum).

2. Tilapia raised on manure-enhanced clinoptilolite had higher growth rates and % survival than controls.

3. Clinoptilolite additions were not able to moderate ammonia-N concentrations in ponds without manure.

4. Economics do not (yet) encourage incorporating clinoptilolite into integrated aquaculture.

Many thanks to….

• Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture CRSP Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA

• Dept. of Aquaculture & Aquatic Resource Management School of Environment, Research & Development

Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani, Thailand

• Dept. of Fisheries & Wildlife Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA