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Oceans and fisheries

Research to reduce emissions in land-based aquaculture

The Technical University of Denmark collaborated with aquaculture and chemical companies to develop technologies and techniques for reducing nitrogen, phosphorous and organic emissions.

  • Project
©Technical university, Denmark

The ‘Inno-Tek’ project brought together the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua) and five aquaculture and chemical companies to research and develop end-of-pipe treatment technologies for land-based aquaculture producers. These technologies are designed to reduce emissions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter, allowing for increased aquaculture production without additional environmental impact.

Researchers developed two innovative and practical cleaning solutions: flocculating bacteria used to reduce nitrogen emissions and the cost-effective use of biodegradable flocculants and lignocellulose components to produce a much dryer waste product, which is easier to transport and can be repurposed in processes like fertilisation and energy production.

Results

  • Decoupling of economic growth from environmental impact in land-based aquaculture.
  • Development of nitrogen removal technology, reducing process time from 17 hours to 4 hours.
  • 19-fold reduction in nitrogen footprint.
  • Increase in dry matter waste from 5% to 50%, enhancing transportability and reuse of bio-waste.

Contact

Technical University of Denmark

Name
Technical University of Denmark
Email
aquaataqua [dot] dtu [dot] dk
Phone number
+45 35883300