Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i>
Microalgae are an effective solution for the treatment and valorization of wastewater generated in hydroponic systems. In the current context of sustainability and resource management, the search for ecological alternatives in agriculture is essential. This study investigated the use of wastewater f...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Horticulturae |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/5/547 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850257029409538048 |
|---|---|
| author | Alejandro Rápalo-Cruz Cintia Gómez-Serrano Cynthia Victoria González-López Miguel Urrestarazu-Gavilán Silvia Jiménez-Becker |
| author_facet | Alejandro Rápalo-Cruz Cintia Gómez-Serrano Cynthia Victoria González-López Miguel Urrestarazu-Gavilán Silvia Jiménez-Becker |
| author_sort | Alejandro Rápalo-Cruz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microalgae are an effective solution for the treatment and valorization of wastewater generated in hydroponic systems. In the current context of sustainability and resource management, the search for ecological alternatives in agriculture is essential. This study investigated the use of wastewater from hydroponic systems, purified by microalgae, for the irrigation of <i>Pelargonium × hortorum.</i> An experiment was designed under controlled conditions in which different irrigation treatments were applied. Hydroponic leachates treated by microalgae were used at 100%, 75%, and 50% (diluted using tap water), in addition to tap water as a negative control and nutrient solution as a positive control. The treatment system was established in a raceway photobioreactor, which allowed the proliferation of microalgae that act as bioremediators for the elimination of pollutants and the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. The growth parameters, biomass, and general health of the <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> plants were evaluated, complemented with physicochemical analyses of the water carried out during the experimental period. These analyses showed that the water obtained after the purification process retained nutrients that can be reused for irrigation. The results indicated that plants irrigated with treated water showed significant improvements in height, diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, leaf dry weight, and flower dry weight compared to those irrigated with tap water. In conclusion, the study shows that the treatment of hydroponic wastewater by means of microalgal cultivation represents a viable and ecological alternative for the irrigation of ornamental plants such as <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i>. The implementation of this system contributes both to the reduction of pollutants and to the optimal use of water resources, establishing a solid basis for future research in which additional nutrients could be incorporated to balance the nutrient solution studied. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8ee00547aa4845f5bb886fbce3e42772 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj-art-8ee00547aa4845f5bb886fbce3e427722025-08-20T01:56:31ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242025-05-0111554710.3390/horticulturae11050547Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i>Alejandro Rápalo-Cruz0Cintia Gómez-Serrano1Cynthia Victoria González-López2Miguel Urrestarazu-Gavilán3Silvia Jiménez-Becker4Department of Agronomy, CIAIMBITAL, Higher Engineering School, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Ctra. Sacramento s/n., 04120 Almería, SpainDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Higher Engineering School, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Ctra. Sacramento s/n., 04120 Almería, SpainDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Higher Engineering School, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Ctra. Sacramento s/n., 04120 Almería, SpainDepartment of Agronomy, CIAIMBITAL, Higher Engineering School, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Ctra. Sacramento s/n., 04120 Almería, SpainDepartment of Agronomy, CIAIMBITAL, Higher Engineering School, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Ctra. Sacramento s/n., 04120 Almería, SpainMicroalgae are an effective solution for the treatment and valorization of wastewater generated in hydroponic systems. In the current context of sustainability and resource management, the search for ecological alternatives in agriculture is essential. This study investigated the use of wastewater from hydroponic systems, purified by microalgae, for the irrigation of <i>Pelargonium × hortorum.</i> An experiment was designed under controlled conditions in which different irrigation treatments were applied. Hydroponic leachates treated by microalgae were used at 100%, 75%, and 50% (diluted using tap water), in addition to tap water as a negative control and nutrient solution as a positive control. The treatment system was established in a raceway photobioreactor, which allowed the proliferation of microalgae that act as bioremediators for the elimination of pollutants and the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. The growth parameters, biomass, and general health of the <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> plants were evaluated, complemented with physicochemical analyses of the water carried out during the experimental period. These analyses showed that the water obtained after the purification process retained nutrients that can be reused for irrigation. The results indicated that plants irrigated with treated water showed significant improvements in height, diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, leaf dry weight, and flower dry weight compared to those irrigated with tap water. In conclusion, the study shows that the treatment of hydroponic wastewater by means of microalgal cultivation represents a viable and ecological alternative for the irrigation of ornamental plants such as <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i>. The implementation of this system contributes both to the reduction of pollutants and to the optimal use of water resources, establishing a solid basis for future research in which additional nutrients could be incorporated to balance the nutrient solution studied.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/5/547<i>Chorella vulgaris</i>irrigationornamental plantsbioremediationreuse |
| spellingShingle | Alejandro Rápalo-Cruz Cintia Gómez-Serrano Cynthia Victoria González-López Miguel Urrestarazu-Gavilán Silvia Jiménez-Becker Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> Horticulturae <i>Chorella vulgaris</i> irrigation ornamental plants bioremediation reuse |
| title | Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> |
| title_full | Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> |
| title_fullStr | Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> |
| title_short | Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment with Microalgae: A Sustainable Alternative for Irrigating <i>Pelargonium × hortorum</i> |
| title_sort | hydroponic wastewater treatment with microalgae a sustainable alternative for irrigating i pelargonium hortorum i |
| topic | <i>Chorella vulgaris</i> irrigation ornamental plants bioremediation reuse |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/5/547 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alejandrorapalocruz hydroponicwastewatertreatmentwithmicroalgaeasustainablealternativeforirrigatingipelargoniumhortorumi AT cintiagomezserrano hydroponicwastewatertreatmentwithmicroalgaeasustainablealternativeforirrigatingipelargoniumhortorumi AT cynthiavictoriagonzalezlopez hydroponicwastewatertreatmentwithmicroalgaeasustainablealternativeforirrigatingipelargoniumhortorumi AT miguelurrestarazugavilan hydroponicwastewatertreatmentwithmicroalgaeasustainablealternativeforirrigatingipelargoniumhortorumi AT silviajimenezbecker hydroponicwastewatertreatmentwithmicroalgaeasustainablealternativeforirrigatingipelargoniumhortorumi |