PHYTOREMEDIATION OF LIVESTOCK WASTEWATER USING Azolla filiculoides AND Lemna minor

The increment in livestock production leads to high risk of environmental problems such as water pollution due to the improper management of livestock operations. Phytoremediation is an alternative approach in treating wastewater from livestock from further contaminate the water bodies. For this study, Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor were used as the phytoremediation plants to remove ammoniacal nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand in the wastewater from livestock. Livestock wastewater was treated using Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor for six days. Using the reactor digestion and Nessler methods, the initial values before treatment for ammoniacal nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand were 109.83 mg/L and 11,742 mg/L, respectively. After six days of treatment, ammoniacal nitrogen was reduced to 51.93 mg/L and 43.93 mg/L by using Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor, respectively. The chemical oxygen demand was decreased to 680 mg/L and 820 mg/L by using Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor, respectively. The esults showed that both Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor were efficient in removing the nutrients in the livestock wastewater.