Surface water treatment via phytoremediation process using Nelumbo nucifera gaertn. and Nymphaea aquatic perennial plants
Nutrient pollution is one of the major contamination’s contributors to the surface water source in Malaysia. Most of the contaminants are contributed by the agricultural sector and causes by the runoff fertilizer from the agriculture activities. With a local demand of...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/84193/1/FK%202019%2081%20-%20ir.pdf |
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| Summary: | Nutrient pollution is one of the major contamination’s contributors to the surface water source
in Malaysia. Most of the contaminants are contributed by the agricultural sector and
causes by the runoff fertilizer from the agriculture activities. With a local demand of
11 billion m3 annually, the amount of clean water available is expected to
increase and phytoremediation is the most economical green technology approach to solve
the surface water contamination problem. Phytoremediation process has been recognized to treat and
polish the final discharge of treated wastewater, however, its ability is not yet being
implemented for treating the upstream water processes. Therefore, this work was conducted
in order to evaluate the potential used of aquatic perennial plant, Nelumbo nucifera and Nymphaea
in polishing the contaminated surface water. The work scopes were divided into three stages
which is first, the preparation and re–cultivation of Nelumbo nucifera plants in
laboratory-scale environment, next is the application of the plants to the contaminated water
samples and lastly, the soil application during the phytoremediation process. During the study,
Nelumbo nucifera plant is compared with similar aquatic perennial plant, Nymphaea (water lily).
Two type of different soil size which is able to indicate the difference in percentage
of removal of BOD, COD, and the value of the DO, NO3- and EC were also applied
during the phytoremediation process. A decrease in organic matter as determined by BOD
and COD (98% and 59%, respectively) when treated using Nelumbo nucifera and 64.5% of
BOD and 50.5% of COD when treated using Nymphaea was identified after 30 days of the experimental
duration. In a meanwhile, the additional of the fine soil into the treatment were noticed with
3.8 mg/L of BOD value after the 30 days of treatment. The absorption capacity of the
contamination on the soil surface was analyzed by the structure degradation analysis using
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Maximum soil absorption capacity was noticed in the fine
soil compared to the course soil. After the 30 days of retention time, the rhizomes of Nelumbo
nucifera were analyzed using the inductive coupled plasma (ICP) to identify the content of absorbed
metal trace in the plants. Here, we noticed the both course and fine soil were able to minimize the
penetration of metal contaminants from entering the inner part of the rhizomes such as Pb, As, Cd,
Cr, Al and K. However, certain essential metal trace that require by the plants for growing purpose
such as Mg and Ca were found to be increasing even with the soil addition. The study
concluded that Nelumbo nucifera plant is a potential candidate for polishing and treating the
surface water. The results also indicated that the addition of the soil was able to minimize
certain metal trace contaminants from entering the plants bodies and very potential to be
used as buffer material in case the plant is
exposed with higher contaminants dosage. |
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