Bioremediation

The attempt being made to improve water quality in aquaculture is the application of probiotics and/or enzymes to the ponds. This type of biotechnology is known as “bioremediation”, which involves manipulation of microorganisms in ponds to enhance mineralization of organic matter and get rid of undesirable waste compounds like ammonia, nitrite etc.

Bioremediation is the application of a biological treatment, mainly microbes, to the cleanup waste contaminants in soil and surface or subsurface waters of aquaculture ponds. In most situations, poor pond water is a result of an overload of organic matter, sludge, including excess ammonia or phosphorous. This build-up serves as a food supply for blue-green algae, anaerobic bacteria and certain weeds and thereby creates massive algal mats. Such type of Algae, cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, anaerobic bacteria and certain weeds can be eliminated by the process of bioremediation. The probiotic bacteria feed on the contamination, deriving nutrition for growth and for reproduction.

• Article on Bioremediation