Pemanfaatan Kiambang (Salvinia molesta) dalam Mereduksi Bahan Pencemar pada Limbah Cair Tapioka.

Abstract

Tapioca wastewater may cause unbalance aquatic ecosystem. It contains cyanide, high organic matter, and acid water. Free floating aquatic plants such as kiambang (Salvinia molesta) can be applied as biological treatment for tapioka wastewater. Kiambang can utilize organic matter from water and from sediment. Therefore, water height could affect utilization of organic matter by kiambang. This research aimed to study the utilization of kiambang to reduce contaminant material in tapioca wastewater with different water height. Result showed that treatment with 10 cm water height decreased cyanide concentration and organic matter more than 20 cm. Wastewater treatment of 10 cm without aquatic plants decreased cyanide and organic matter the most, i.e 70% and 50%, respectively. This was because oxygen diffusion from atmosphere into water was blocked by the plant, causing organic material reduction was blocked as well. Aquatic plants acclimatization in wastewater should be done in a particular time span, so that aquatic plants ability to reduce cyanide and organic matter could be more visible.