Effect of Rice Husk and Rice Husk Ash in Phytoremediation of Livestock Effluent by Scirpus grossus

Siti Kamariah Md Sa’at; Najihah Abdul Jalil; Mohd Sani Jamailudin

doi:10.58915/aset.v4i2.2709

Authors

Siti Kamariah Md Sa’at Universiti Malaysia Perlis
Najihah Abdul Jalil Universiti Malaysia Perlis
Mohd Sani Jamailudin Universiti Malaysia Perlis

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58915/aset.v4i2.2709

Keywords:

Phytoremediation, Substrate, Rice husk ash, Rice husk, Scirpus grossus

Abstract

Livestock wastewater poses a significant environmental challenge due to its high concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), suspended solids, and pathogens. If inadequately treated, it can harm both human health and aquatic ecosystems. Phytoremediation, with the use of plants and associated microbes to remove pollutants, offers a low-cost, sustainable alternative to conventional treatment methods. This study investigates the effectiveness of Scirpus grossus (Menerong) in treating livestock effluent, using two agricultural byproducts, rice husk and rice husk ash, as a substrate in phytoremediation treatment. Both media support plant growth and microbial activity while enhancing the removal of contaminants in the wastewater. The system utilizing rice husk achieved removal efficiencies of 78.03% for ammonia (NH₃-N), 33.20% for orthophosphate (PO₄³⁻), 81.55% for COD, and 49.07% for total suspended solids (TSS). Notably, the rice husk ash substrate outperformed rice husk in several parameters, achieving 75.61% NH₃-N, 33.33% PO₄³⁻, 96.65% COD, and 68.65% TSS removal. The enhanced performance is attributed to rice husk ash’s higher porosity and surface area, which support improved microbial activity and adsorption. These findings demonstrate the potential of Scirpus grossus combined with rice husk ash substrates as an efficient, eco-friendly solution for livestock wastewater treatment. This approach supports sustainable agriculture and waste management practices, making it well-suited for rural application.

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