EFFECTS of yucca shidigera extract on the reduction of ammonia concentration in lake Koumoundourou

Abstract

Nitrogen related water pollution in aquatic systems is one of the most common problems encountered worldwide nowadays. Different restoration practices have been tested to eliminate the impacts from eutrophication but no widely applicable methodology has been found until now. Extract of Yucca shidigera has been proved effective in reducing ammonia in livestock industry and aquaculture but have not been yet tested in freshwater ecosystems. In this study, the effects of yucca extract on the reduction of ammonia in Lake Koumoundourou have been investigated. Yucca extract was added at various concentrations to experimental tanks containing lake water and sediment. The results show that yucca extract significantly reduced the concentration of ammonia while other water quality parameters were relatively stable during the experiment, except from dissolved oxygen. The study indicates that yucca extract as a restoration method can be promising but larger scale experiments should be conducted to validate this outcome.