Wastewater phytoremediation by Salvinia molesta

In natural biological treatment systems, floating macrophytes have been used in maturation pond in recent years to upgrade effluents from stabilization ponds and are to achieve secondary treatment effluent quality from primary sewage effluent. In this study, the performance of phytoremediation by Salvinia molesta macrophytes on treated Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is investigated. The objectives of the study are to determine the nutrient uptake by S. molesta from treated POME and its effect towards the biomass and biochemical content. The water quality after phytoremediation were monitored. The wastewater phytoremediation by S. molesta was conducted outdoor for 16 days in a raceway pond rig. The results showed that S. molesta achieved 95% phosphate removal efficiency from the wastewater, lowering concentration to 0.17 mg/l. Nitrate concentration was determined to be at 0.50 mg/l at the end of the experiment. Ammonia concentration showed a dynamic fluctuation trend with average value of 2.62 mg/l. For water quality assessment, turbidity decreased from 7.56 NTU to 0.94 NTU in just 2 days' time. MLVSS analysis was significantly low by day 2 of experiment. COD removal efficiency was determined at 39%. All six water quality assay met their respective statutory discharge limit. The S. molesta cultivated in the raceway pond rig also showed increment toward the biomass gain, carbohydrate and protein at the end of the experiment. This study indicates that S. molesta plants have the potential to be used in the phytoremediation of treated POME and showed a superior biochemical composition.