Solving the Aquaculture Bottleneck - Reducing Nutrients and Repurposing Waste to Produce Energy and Bioproducts
Description
The expansion of Australia’s aquaculture industry is held back by the need to remediate vast quantities of nutrient-rich wastewater. The project will continue our team’s development of a novel, faster nutrient extraction method from aquaculture wastewater using electro -flocculation. In addition, the project will determine the potential value of the waste material as bioproducts, such as protein rich cattle feeds or as an energy source in a bioreactor. The outcome will create a circular economy for the aquaculture industry, promoting its further expansion and improving the profitability of the sector.
Partners
Dr Angela Capper - Project Lead
Funding Partners
Funded through the Advance Queensland Industry Research Projects Program (awarded 15 April 2024) and also through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Rural Economic Development (RED) Fund, DAF Agri-Sci Bribie Island Research Centre (BIRC). Collaboration Partners are the Australian Prawn Farm (APF) and the Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA).
It also co-funds a PhD project with CQUniversity and BIRC to explore microalgal bloom manipulation techniques and bloom dynamics in aquaculture.
SDG Goals
At CQUniversity we are committed to embedding sustainable practice in our operations, interactions and relationships, underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainability is one of our strategic pillars within our Strategic Plan 2014-2028.
This project aligns with the following SDG Goals:
- SDG14 – Life below water;
- SDG12 Responsible consumption and production, and
- SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities