Phytoremediation in aquaculture in Poland as an element supporting the improvement of surface water quality

Low and poor-quality water resources in Poland require rational and responsible use of them also in aquaculture. In recent years, there has been an increase in fish consumption, but also a change in consumer preferences. The development of innovative aquaculture methods leads to a reduction in water consumption, even by 20%, as is the case with recirculation aquaculture systems with salmonid fish production. In turn, sewage sludge generated in the purification process should be directed to the third stage of their purification, i.e. a hydrophyte lagoon. High requirements for the discharge of post-production water into aquatic ecosystems call for even more restrictive water management at every stage of fish production. The use of phytoremediation based on knowledge about the adaptation of aquatic and wetland plants to development in artificial aquatic ecosystems is an important element supporting the improvement of surface water quality. Thanks to the processes of rhizofiltration, phytoextraction and phytodegradation, hydrophytes effectively participate in reducing the concentration of nutrients and additionally metal ions. In turn, in fish farms focused on intensive carp production, part of the water drained from ponds in autumn can be subjected to phytoremediation in channels with an ecotone zone, thus improving the quality of these ecosystems. The key here is the selection of plants for the proposed solutions using phytoremediation and guaranteeing the effectiveness of this technology