Optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry

Abstract Duckweed is an important plant for wastewater remediation and a promising alternative protein source for animal feed. This study aims to evaluate the biomass, protein accumulation, and wastewater purification capacity of duckweed under controlled cultivation conditions. Using pig farm bioga...

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Main Authors: Jiaquan Li, Ya Gao, Yaoru Xie, Junyi Li, Jiazhou Li, Cheng Ran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89524-w
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author Jiaquan Li
Ya Gao
Yaoru Xie
Junyi Li
Jiazhou Li
Cheng Ran
author_facet Jiaquan Li
Ya Gao
Yaoru Xie
Junyi Li
Jiazhou Li
Cheng Ran
author_sort Jiaquan Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Duckweed is an important plant for wastewater remediation and a promising alternative protein source for animal feed. This study aims to evaluate the biomass, protein accumulation, and wastewater purification capacity of duckweed under controlled cultivation conditions. Using pig farm biogas slurry as a nutrient source, this study analyzes the purification ability of duckweed at different slurry concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%) on chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) in biogas slurry. The study also describes changes in duckweed weight, chlorophyll content, and protein accumulation. Our results showed that a 4% biogas slurry concentration was the optimum condition for the cultivation of duckweed, which corresponded to an NH3-N concentration of 29.56 mg/L. The dry matter production capacity of duckweed under these conditions was 1.78 g/(d·m2), the relative growth rate (RGR) was 0.29 g/(g·d), the doubling time was 2.42 days, and the protein content was 36.25% by dry weight. In terms of pollutant removal, duckweed efficiently removed 54.69% of COD, 86.89% of TN, 97.25% of NH3-N, and 85.22% of TP. The results of this study provide an important reference for the operation of the duckweed production system, which is crucial for the design and operation of pilot-scale and large-scale duckweed production systems moving forward.
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spelling doaj-art-2ee4b8afbb3246a8930258d61fc2c4a62025-08-20T02:48:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111810.1038/s41598-025-89524-wOptimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurryJiaquan Li0Ya Gao1Yaoru Xie2Junyi Li3Jiazhou Li4Cheng Ran5Heyuan Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureHeyuan Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureHeyuan Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureHeyuan Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureInstitute of Animal Science Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State key aboratory of Livestock and Poultry BreedingHeyuan Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureAbstract Duckweed is an important plant for wastewater remediation and a promising alternative protein source for animal feed. This study aims to evaluate the biomass, protein accumulation, and wastewater purification capacity of duckweed under controlled cultivation conditions. Using pig farm biogas slurry as a nutrient source, this study analyzes the purification ability of duckweed at different slurry concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%) on chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) in biogas slurry. The study also describes changes in duckweed weight, chlorophyll content, and protein accumulation. Our results showed that a 4% biogas slurry concentration was the optimum condition for the cultivation of duckweed, which corresponded to an NH3-N concentration of 29.56 mg/L. The dry matter production capacity of duckweed under these conditions was 1.78 g/(d·m2), the relative growth rate (RGR) was 0.29 g/(g·d), the doubling time was 2.42 days, and the protein content was 36.25% by dry weight. In terms of pollutant removal, duckweed efficiently removed 54.69% of COD, 86.89% of TN, 97.25% of NH3-N, and 85.22% of TP. The results of this study provide an important reference for the operation of the duckweed production system, which is crucial for the design and operation of pilot-scale and large-scale duckweed production systems moving forward.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89524-wLemna aequinoctialisNutrient recoveryWastewater remediationBiomass and protein productionSwine wastewater
spellingShingle Jiaquan Li
Ya Gao
Yaoru Xie
Junyi Li
Jiazhou Li
Cheng Ran
Optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry
Scientific Reports
Lemna aequinoctialis
Nutrient recovery
Wastewater remediation
Biomass and protein production
Swine wastewater
title Optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry
title_full Optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry
title_fullStr Optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry
title_full_unstemmed Optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry
title_short Optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry
title_sort optimal cultivation concentration of duckweed for pollutant removal from biogas slurry
topic Lemna aequinoctialis
Nutrient recovery
Wastewater remediation
Biomass and protein production
Swine wastewater
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89524-w
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