A Review of Membrane Filtration and Its Efficiency in Improving Water Quality in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS)

Given that many commercial aquatic species of the country are bred in recirculating aquaculture systems (RASes), it is necessary to carefully evaluate and control the amount of water quality in these systems. Due to this issue, in the present study, the efficiency of membrane filtration in water treatment of RASes was investigated. First, general information about the membrane filtration process, including its types and benefits, was presented, and then, the importance of membrane filtration in removing contaminants and water treatment from aquaculture systems was discussed. Membrane filtration covers a wide range of filtration processes including reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF), ultrafiltration (UF), and microfiltration (MF). Examination of the obtained sources showed that the membrane filtration has several advantages, the most important of which are the reduction of overall production costs, high flexibility, and high product quality. The solids in the aquaculture system come from uneaten food and feces produced by fish. These substances can cause the spread of microbial and pathogenic agents in aquatic environments. Application of different membrane filtration methods showed that these methods have significant efficiency in removing fine particles and organic matter from aquaculture effluents. Therefore, they can be used for sustainable management of water resources as well as water treatment in this sector.