Performance Evaluation of Raw Rubber Treatment of Wastewater in Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) Macrophyte Pond

Owamah, Hilary I. and Orugba, Henry O. and Oyebisi, Solomon and Alfa, M.I. and Enaboifo, M.A. (2026) Performance Evaluation of Raw Rubber Treatment of Wastewater in Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) Macrophyte Pond. In: Nature-Based Solutions for Decentralised Liquid Waste Management. Environmental Challenges and Solutions . Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp. 365-390. ISBN 978-3-032-08361-6

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Abstract

This chapter presents a thorough 3-year exploration of the efficacy of water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) macrophyte ponds for the treatment of wastewater from a typical rubber processing industry, alongside the utilization of treated effluent as biofertilizer. Initial assessment of wastewater quality involved monthly data collection and analysis over a year to establish baseline parameters, identifying several constituents surpassing permissible limits, notably conductivity, nitrates, pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity, phosphate, total dissolved solids (TDS), and total suspended solids (TSS). Subsequently, water lettuce was introduced, covering 50% of the pond surface, and monthly monitoring of effluents ensued, assessing various chemical, physical, and biological parameters. Treatments
were implemented in the ponds with retention periods ranging from 2 to 12 weeks across three inoculation phases. The findings revealed a notable reduction in most contaminants, bringing them within acceptable limits, albeit exceptions were observed for TSS and turbidity. Moreover, the treated effluent demonstrated positive effects on maize plant growth, evidenced by enhancements in plant height, stem
girth, leaf area, and biomass yield. Notably, the maximum plant height of 117.5 ± 7.6 cm was recorded at 63 days post-planting under the second treatment regimen. The average cob weight from the second treatment group stood at 46.2 ± 6.1 g, contrasting with 21.3 ± 6.7 g from the control group.

Item Type:	Book Chapter
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) T Technology > TC Hydraulic engineering. Ocean engineering T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
Divisions:	School of Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics (STEMP)
Depositing User:	Solomon Oyebisi
Date Deposited:	18 Feb 2026 00:41
Last Modified:	18 Feb 2026 00:41
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/15274

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