Phytoremediation of Phosphorous and Ammonia with Eichhornia crassipes and Azolla pinnata in Waste Waters from Estero de San Miguel Mendiola Manila Philippines

Abstract

Wastewater treatment and removal of pollutants by phytoremediation, remain a major concern of the 21th century. This study is focused on the phytoremediation study in Philippine setting, specifically in one of the tributaries of Pasig river-the Estero de San Miguel. It determined the pH, Ammonia and Phosphorous before, 7th and 14th day of phytoremediation with the use of A. pinnata and E. crassipes. Twelve improvised water ponds/troughs, 3 ponds per treatment were used for 14 days. T-control (only wastewater), T1 for A. pinnata + wastewater, T2 for E. crassipes + wastewater and T3 for A. pinnata E. crassipes + wastewater. Potential hydrogen, Ammonia-N mg/L, phosphorous mg/L were analyzed before, on the 7th and 14th day of the study. Data gathered was analyzed using ANOVA and Fisher Least Significant Difference test as post hoc test. Result revealed that T1 (A. pinnata) lowered the pH and ammonia-N (mg/L) of wastewaters from Estero de San Miguel. T3 (combination of A. pinnata + E. crassipes) has significantly lowered the Phosphorous level of the wastewaters. Thus both aquatic macrophytes can be used as phytoremediation agents in the said Estero.