Hydroponic system: A promising biotechnology for food production and wastewater treatment

Abstract

Wastewaters contain high loads of organic matter and nutrients, constituting a severe problem. These wastewaters, after the application of an appropriate treatment, can be used for food production, improving its yield and quality. The use of reclaimed water for irrigation has been often recommended by several organizations, namely, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), World Health Organization (WHO), and European Union (EU) as a suitable solution for setting up water management strategies. Wastewater reuse for irrigation is a long-standing practice and has many advantages. Hydroponic systems constitute a promising biotechnology for food production and wastewater treatment. Some plants have revealed capacities to grow in hydroponic systems fed with wastewater, reducing the pollutant loads. This chapter summarizes the main wastewater characteristics, wastewater reuse, and quality for food irrigation and hydroponic system types. Additionally, experimental conditions, results, and conclusions found in literature on the hydroponic system for food production and wastewater treatment are presented.