Contribution of floating macrophytes (Lemna sp.) to pond modelization

Area of Science:

• Environmental Biotechnology
• Aquatic Plant Physiology
• Biomass Quantification

Background:

• Lemnaceae (duckweed) are efficient aquatic plants for wastewater treatment.
• Accurate biomass growth quantification is crucial for optimizing Lemnaceae pond systems.
• Understanding oxygen dynamics is key to managing Lemnaceae pond ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a digital image analysis methodology for quantifying Lemnaceae biomass growth rate.
• To investigate the impact of biomass surface coverage on the oxygen transfer coefficient (Kla).
• To evaluate the contribution of Lemnaceae to the overall oxygen balance in aquatic systems.

Main Methods:

• Digital image analysis for biomass growth rate measurement.
• Closed respirometry for evaluating oxygen balance.
• Quantification of oxygen transfer coefficient (Kla) under varying biomass coverage.
• Derivation of Monod-like equations from growth rate data.

Main Results:

• A robust methodology for quantifying Lemnaceae biomass growth using digital image analysis was established.
• The relationship between biomass surface coverage and the oxygen transfer coefficient (Kla) was successfully quantified.
• Lemnaceae's contribution to the oxygen balance was evaluated, providing insights into pond ecosystem dynamics.
• Monod-like equations were derived, correlating growth rates with various experimental conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed digital image analysis method provides a deterministic approach to modeling Lemnaceae ponds.
• This methodology facilitates the calculation of nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus) and heavy metal uptake by Lemnaceae.
• The findings support the optimization of Lemnaceae-based systems for wastewater treatment and resource recovery.