Treatment of leachate solid wastewater and protein-rich biomass production using <em>Ceratophyllum demersum</em> (Linnaeus, 1753)

Abstract

The present study, conducted in 2018, aimed to treat landfill leachate using the <em>Ceratophyllum demersum</em> plant and convert the wastewater nutrients into protein-rich biomass. The experiment was carried out for 45 days in an enriched medium with ½ Hoagland nutrient solution. Regarding the experimental setups, <em>C. demersum</em> cultivation was performed in four different dilution ratios (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%) in the landfill leachate. The changes in the chemical properties of the wastewater (pH, NO₄⁻-N, NO₂⁻-N, NO₃⁻-N, and o-PO₄³⁻) were measured. The values in the leachate and after treatment were measured as follows: NH₄⁺-N ranged from 18.03 to 476.2 mg/L, NO₃⁻-N ranged from 5.0 to 33.98 mg/L, NO₂⁻-N ranged from 1.49 to 7.06 mg/L, and PO₄³⁻-P ranged from 27.99 to 145.4 mg/L. The protein yield (CP prot) in the experimental groups at the end of the 45-day study was as follows: T1 = 20.90%, T2 = 36.68 %, T3 = 41.78%, T4 = 47.43% and T5c = 49.56%. These results demonstrate that aquatic plants can be utilized in wastewater treatment and as animal feed due to their high protein yield. In my research, a completely nature-friendly treatment technique was used to reduce water pollution without using any chemicals.