Duckweed Utilization in Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Production
Summary
Duckweed, the collective name for small floating macrophytes in the Lemnaceae family, has emerged as a dual-purpose solution for nutrient remediation and biomass generation. Its rapid frond proliferation and high nutrient uptake rates enable effective removal of nitrogen, phosphorus and other contaminants from diverse waste streams, including agricultural effluents and municipal wastewater. Simultaneously, harvested duckweed biomass can be processed into animal feed, bioethanol, biogas or high-protein flour, embedding the technology within circular-economy frameworks. Advances in controlled cultivation systems—from open ponds to modular bioreactors—have improved removal efficiencies and yield optimisation. Research has also elucidated the influence of environmental parameters such as pH, light regime and temperature on duckweed growth, guiding the design of integrated treatment-production facilities. Global case studies demonstrate the potential of duckweed farms to reduce eutrophication risks, valorise waste nutrients and generate low-carbon feedstocks at scale.
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Duckweed Utilization in Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Production publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in duckweed utilization in wastewater treatment and biomass production across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phytoremediation: The use of plants to absorb, accumulate or transform pollutants from water or soil.
Holobiont: A host organism together with its associated microbial community, regarded as an integrated biological unit.
Daily light integral (DLI): The total photosynthetically active radiation received per unit area each day, measured in mol m⁻².
Digestate: The residual, nutrient-rich liquid by-product of anaerobic digestion, often used as fertiliser or in phytoremediation studies.
References
- Lowering pH enables duckweed (Lemna minor L.) growth on toxic concentrations of high-nutrient agricultural wastewater. Journal of Cleaner Production (2023).
- Unravelling the impact of light, temperature and nutrient dynamics on duckweed growth: A meta-analysis study. Journal of Environmental Management (2024).
- Creation of a functional duckweed holobiont to reduce nutrient competition with microalgae for high-yield biomass production. Bioresource Technology (2025).
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