The Effectiveness of the Use of Aquatic Plants (Lemna perpusilla, Landoltia punctata and Azolla pinnata) in the Phytoremediation Process of Catfish Aquaculture Wastewater

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine aquatic plants (Lemna perpusilla, Landoltila punctata and Azolla pinnata) that have the most effective ability as phytoremediation agents for catfish cultivation wastewater.

Study Design: This research was conducted by an experimental method, with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of three treatments and four replications.

Place and Duration of Study: This research is located at the Wet Laboratory (Ciparanje) of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Padjadjaran University. Water quality testing is carried out at the Water Resources Laboratory of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences. Research was carried out on 20 July-24 September 2019.

Methodology: The test wastewater was collected from catfish pond culture and put into twelve aquarium with a volume of 8 litre. Physical and chemical parameters observed include BOD5, dissolved oxygen, CO2 acidity, temperature, nitrate, and phosphate.

Results: Lemna perpusilla, Landoltia punctata and Azolla pinnata were able to improve the quality of catfish culture wastewater such as increasing the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH, and reducingBOD5, CO2, nitrate and phosphate. Lemna perpusilla was able to reduce the concentration of BOD5, CO2,carbondioxide, nitrate and phosphate from catfish cultivation wastewater by75%; 77.7%; 23.4%; 44.2%, respectively, during the phytoremediation process, and Landoltia punctata was able to reduce the concentrations same parameters by 52%; 68.3%; 17.8%; 18.3% and Azolla pinnata by 41%; 84%; 15.3% and 28.4%.

Conclusion: Lemnaper pusillamay improve the quality of catfish culture wastewater better than Landoltia punctata and Azolla pinnata. Lemna perpusilla can be recommended as phytoremediation agents catfish cultivation wastewater to remediate organic matter before being discharged directly into water bodies.