Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2019

June 19 - 21, 2019

Chennai Tamil Nadu - India

PROSPECTS OF APPLICATIONS OF NANOFORMS OF CALCIUM, PHOSPHOROUS AND ZINC SALTS IN FUTURE AQUACULTURE

P. Swain*, R. Das and S. S. Mishra
ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture,
Fish Health Management Division, Kausalyaganga, Bhubaneswar
E Mail: pswainy2k@yahoo.com
 

Calcium application to aquaculture in form of lime is an age old practice with many advantages such as improvement of water quality, disease prevention, plankton production and as fish feed supplements (calcium forms an integral part of bones and exoskeleton of finfish and shellfish). Moreover due to intensification and horizontal spread in aquaculture, the demand of calcium salts liming materials goes high. Abusive use of calcium in the aquaculture system damages the soil fertility and pond environment. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is also widely used as a dietary supplement; however, oral absorption efficiency of CaCO3 is extremely low and may be overcome by applying nano-sized elements with properties like non-toxicity, biocompatibility with bodily fluids. Similarly the report says that moisture absorption of feed decreases with increasing nano-CaCO3 thus increases the storage life. Nano compounds of calcium have also found to enhance the plankton production. In our previous study, nano- CaCO3 at one tenth dose of bulk lime has found to increase the alkalinity of pond water. Like calcium, phosphorus (P) plays a critical role in primary productivity and its maintenance in any aquatic system, utilized in several metabolic processes and is present in bony structures. Eutrophication is a threat to quality of surface water bodies (SWB) and to bio-diversity of the aquatic ecosystem. Excess application of Phosphorus is one of the causes of its accumulation in SWB. Phosphorus buffering also contributes to eutrophication and remains a major problem years after the release of Phosphorus, is brought under control. The addition of small amount of phosphorus or, nanophosphorous can remove excess from soils; provided the solution-P is maintained in such a manner that productivity is sustained. In such endeavors, Phosphorus must be applied in amount exact to the crop requirement. Nano-P application can deal with twin contradictions - low solubility and excess application. Thereby it reduces phosphorus build ups in soils, reduces its load in SWB, and checks the imbalance in aquatic biodiversity. Nanophosphorus may replace the bulk used in aquaculture and can reduce the algal bloom problems many a time faced in fertilized ponds. Slightly alkaline pH helps in increasing the availability of phosphorus from the pond sediment, hence the use of both Calcium and phosphorus nanoparticles can give aquaculture and pond management practices a new direction by reducing its bulk use and can be used more efficiently.  Zinc is an essential trace mineral for fish, plankton growth. The present form of Zinc application is in form of Zinc Sulphate, which is only available @ 15% to the fish. Nanoform of zinc through feed has is also found to improve growth and disease resistance in fish, moreover its use in feed has also reported to enhance the shelf life of feed and its ingredients.