Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #397828

Research Project: Enhancing the Production of Hybrid Striped Bass Through Improved Genetics, Nutrition, Production Management, and Fish Health

Location: Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr

Title: Assessing bactericidal activity of peracetic acid to selected fish pathogens in RAS water

Author
item GOOD, CHRISTOPHER - Freshwater Institute
item REDMAN, NATALIE - Freshwater Institute
item MURRAY, MEGAN - Freshwater Institute
item Straus, David - Dave
item Welch, Timothy - Tim

Submitted to: Responsible Seafood Advocate
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/19/2022
Publication Date: 9/6/2022
Citation: Good, C., Redman, N., Murray, M., Straus, D.L., Welch, T.J. 2022. Assessing bactericidal activity of peracetic acid to selected fish pathogens in RAS water. Responsible Seafood Advocate. 343.

Interpretive Summary: Peracetic acid (PAA) is a new disinfectant which would be better to use in aquaculture to reduce fish pathogen loads than other compounds that leave residues. PAA is environmentally friendly and degrades very rapidly to acetic acid, oxygen, and water; it does not leave toxic residues. PAA could be used in recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS) to kill bacteria that cause fish diseases at very low concentrations without harming the bacteria in the filter.

Technical Abstract: Peracetic acid (PAA) has been identified as an efficacious alternative to common disinfectants used in aquaculture settings to reduce fish pathogen loads. Compared to other aquaculture disinfectants like formalin, PAA is considered relatively environmentally friendly, given that it degrades to acetic acid, oxygen, and water when applied in an aqueous environment, and does not leave toxic residues. Additionally, PAA has been shown to be a useful therapeutant in recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS) due to its antimicrobial properties at low doses that, in turn, do not impair biofilter nitrification.