Phycoremediation potential of Nostoc cf. sphaericum in aquatic ecosystems impacted by aquaculture

Phycoremediation potential of Nostoc cf. sphaericum in aquatic ecosystems impacted by aquaculture | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Phycoremediation potential of Nostoc cf. sphaericum in aquatic ecosystems impacted by aquaculture DIANA YASMINA BENITES ALVA, NELSON GUILLERMO MORI DE LA CRUZ, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362667/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Inland aquaculture in Peru has experienced continuous growth, leading to intensive use of water resources and the discharge of effluents that pollute water bodies. This research proposes a new biotechnological perspective by evaluating, for the first time under laboratory conditions, the application of Nostoc cf. sphaericum as a phytoremediation agent for fish farming waters from the Huaylacancha Lagoon (Junín, Peru). Initially, the cyanobacterium was morphologically characterized, belonging to the genus Nostoc, with an oval shape, a brown-gold-olive color, a gelatinous texture, vegetative cells measuring 6×6 µm, and heterocysts measuring 7×6 µm. Subsequently, a 2³ factorial experiment was conducted considering lighting (1500, 3000 lux), photoperiod (12, 24 hours), and initial biomass (20, 40 g). The physicochemical characterization of the lagoon water samples averaged: nitrates 1.92 mg/L, phosphates 0.9 mg/L, pH 8, DO 5.4 mg/L, TDS 218 ppm, EC 277 µS/cm, and temperature 12.1°C. The ANOVA for nitrates revealed interaction effects between biomass and photoperiod, and between biomass and phycoremediation period (p ≤ 0.05), reaching 1.09 mg/L under 24 h of light with 20 g of initial biomass, and 0.78 mg/L after 16 days with 20 g. Phosphates showed an effect of the phycoremediation period (p ≤ 0.05), reaching 0.07 mg/L after 8 days of phycoremediation. DO showed significant interactions between light intensity and biomass, photoperiod and phycoremediation period, and biomass and phycoremediation period, reaching a value of 12.75 mg/L in 12 days with 12 h of light. Nitrate removal reached 59.4% with an initial biomass of 40 g, while phosphate removal reached 55% after 16 days of phycoremediation. The cyanobacterium Nostoc cf. sphaericum significantly reduces phosphate and nitrate levels in fish farm waters and exhibits phycoremediation potential for other types of contaminated water. phycoremediation cyanobacteria Nostoc cf. sphaericum fish farm effluent Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 09 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 08 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 10 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 10 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 10 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 09 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 08 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9362667","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":623159616,"identity":"2315ee6d-5e64-454e-acea-e469033a422d","order_by":0,"name":"DIANA YASMINA BENITES ALVA","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Católica Sedes Sapientiae (UCSS)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"DIANA","middleName":"YASMINA BENITES","lastName":"ALVA","suffix":""},{"id":623159617,"identity":"e0024226-2e23-4aa0-8684-3806918c2821","order_by":1,"name":"NELSON GUILLERMO MORI DE LA CRUZ","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLCCBDYGGQirAoiZmRuI0sIDYZ0BaWEkQgsDTAtjG5jEr8Vc7PCxDw/KbHj4288+k/w5rzaavx2o5UfFNpxaLGenJc9IOJfGI3Em3UxCctvx3BmHGRsYe87cxqnF4HaOMUNi22EehhtsbBKG247lNgC1MDO2EdTyn0cepCVxzrHc+URqOcBjANJysKEmdwNhLWnJDAnnknkMz6QxWzYcO5C7EajlIH6/JB9m/FFmJyd3/BjjzR81dbnzzh8++OBHBW4t6OAwmDxAtHogqCNF8SgYBaNgFIwQAAB0T1eTQTtRlAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Católica Sedes Sapientiae (UCSS)","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"NELSON","middleName":"GUILLERMO MORI DE LA","lastName":"CRUZ","suffix":""},{"id":623159618,"identity":"37cf4721-d0b8-42a1-87e5-a9451b81a7ca","order_by":2,"name":"NILDA DORIS MONTES VILLANUEVA","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidad Católica Sedes Sapientiae (UCSS)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"NILDA","middleName":"DORIS MONTES","lastName":"VILLANUEVA","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-09 03:38:38","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362667/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362667/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107488428,"identity":"7d6927b7-3283-4a76-8256-03f7a5e8168d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:44:41","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":751479,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ResearchpaperBenitesandMoriNostocVF10March.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9362667/v1_covered_12949ca7-d683-4775-9f19-719a77df456f.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Phycoremediation potential of Nostoc cf. sphaericum in aquatic ecosystems impacted by aquaculture","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"","identity":"journal-of-applied-phycology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"10811","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10811/3","title":"Journal of Applied Phycology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"phycoremediation, cyanobacteria, Nostoc cf. sphaericum, fish farm effluent","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362667/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362667/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eInland aquaculture in Peru has experienced continuous growth, leading to intensive use of water resources and the discharge of effluents that pollute water bodies. This research proposes a new biotechnological perspective by evaluating, for the first time under laboratory conditions, the application of \u003cem\u003eNostoc\u003c/em\u003e cf. \u003cem\u003esphaericum\u003c/em\u003e as a phytoremediation agent for fish farming waters from the Huaylacancha Lagoon (Jun\u0026iacute;n, Peru). Initially, the cyanobacterium was morphologically characterized, belonging to the genus Nostoc, with an oval shape, a brown-gold-olive color, a gelatinous texture, vegetative cells measuring 6\u0026times;6 \u0026micro;m, and heterocysts measuring 7\u0026times;6 \u0026micro;m. Subsequently, a 2\u0026sup3; factorial experiment was conducted considering lighting (1500, 3000 lux), photoperiod (12, 24 hours), and initial biomass (20, 40 g). The physicochemical characterization of the lagoon water samples averaged: nitrates 1.92 mg/L, phosphates 0.9 mg/L, pH 8, DO 5.4 mg/L, TDS 218 ppm, EC 277 \u0026micro;S/cm, and temperature 12.1\u0026deg;C. The ANOVA for nitrates revealed interaction effects between biomass and photoperiod, and between biomass and phycoremediation period (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;0.05), reaching 1.09 mg/L under 24 h of light with 20 g of initial biomass, and 0.78 mg/L after 16 days with 20 g. Phosphates showed an effect of the phycoremediation period (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;0.05), reaching 0.07 mg/L after 8 days of phycoremediation. DO showed significant interactions between light intensity and biomass, photoperiod and phycoremediation period, and biomass and phycoremediation period, reaching a value of 12.75 mg/L in 12 days with 12 h of light. Nitrate removal reached 59.4% with an initial biomass of 40 g, while phosphate removal reached 55% after 16 days of phycoremediation. The cyanobacterium \u003cem\u003eNostoc\u003c/em\u003e cf. \u003cem\u003esphaericum\u003c/em\u003e significantly reduces phosphate and nitrate levels in fish farm waters and exhibits phycoremediation potential for other types of contaminated water.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Phycoremediation potential of Nostoc cf. sphaericum in aquatic ecosystems impacted by aquaculture","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-20 21:48:12","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362667/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"104420819739245878553624012903798970579","date":"2026-05-09T15:29:52+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"482616802164927994297901182167681083","date":"2026-05-08T13:31:38+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-14T18:24:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"318544263983068680367858065760295528221","date":"2026-04-11T01:42:04+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-10T10:31:04+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-10T08:16:57+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-10T02:22:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Journal of Applied Phycology","date":"2026-04-09T03:23:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"","identity":"journal-of-applied-phycology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"10811","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10811/3","title":"Journal of Applied Phycology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"27ddcf6a-f368-4202-8d76-23c5c8cffc27","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 20th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"104420819739245878553624012903798970579","date":"2026-05-09T15:29:52+00:00","index":26,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"482616802164927994297901182167681083","date":"2026-05-08T13:31:38+00:00","index":25,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-20T21:48:12+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-20 21:48:12","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9362667","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9362667","identity":"rs-9362667","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}