Abstract

Controlling aquaculture pollution and water management is a challenge especially in water-scarce areas. A study was conducted to characterize and assess the effectiveness of activated charcoal from mango wood (MWAC, coconut shell (CSAC) and Indian bamboo wood (IBAC) in removal of pollutants from aquaculture water. One hundred and twenty (120) Clarias gariepinus fingerlings of initial average weight 2.3±0.1g were assigned to four treatment groups with different activated charcoal-types in a completely randomized design; each having three replicates. Treatment 1 contained MWAC; treatment 2 contained CSAC; treatment 3 contained IBAC and treatment 4 had no charcoal and served as control. The experiment lasted for 9 hours. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS ® (version 20). The result obtained revealed that MWAC had the highest iodine number. MWAC and CSAC generally performed better in reduction of alkalinity, total ammonia nitrogen, phosphate, nitrites and dissolved oxygen; with MWAC having a relatively better adsorptive strength in comparison to CSAC. CSAC and IBAC were almost at par in pH regulation with IBAC having a relatively lower pH reduction in the 3 rd hour than CSAC. IBAC recorded the highest conductivity value than MWAC and CSAC. The study showed that MWAC has better prospects to serve as adsorbent for use in pollutant removal from aquaculture water than CSAC and IBAC respectively. It is recommended that utilization of activated charcoal from Mango and coconut shell should be enhanced and optimized for use in pollutant removal in aquaculture, including the time needed to remove and replace activated charcoal in a tank.