Evaluation of the Efficiency of Ceramic Water Filter Improved by Dried Duckweed Plant (Lemna minor) in Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

The lack of clean water sources due to pollution and industrialisation is a major problem in many countries including Nigeria. To overcome this challenge, various methods have been adopted including phytoremediation treatment. This study evaluates dried duckweed an aquatic plant and its removal efficiency in comparison with other locally available treatment materials. This was achieved by formulating ceramic water filters (C.W.F) categorized into four different types- clay and kaolin(P1), clay, kaolin and sawdust(P2), clay, kaolin and charcoal(P3) and clay, kaolin and duckweed(P4). These filters were subjected to contaminated water and the following physicochemical parameters Colour, pH, Conductivity(Ec), Fluoride(F-), Magnesium(Mg2+), Nitrites(NO2-), Sulphates (SO42-), Ammonia (NH3) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Total Nitrogen were determined before and after filtration. In all the ceramic water filters, the filter improved by duckweed showed the best removal efficiency of Colour – 100%, Conductivity(Ec) -72.60%, Fluoride(F)- 99.82%, Magnesium(Mg2+)- 51.68% Nitrites(NO2-)-92.34, Sulphates (SO42-)- 46.09%, Ammonia (NH3)-98.75%, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS)- 85.43% and Total Nitrogen (TN) -83.79% indicating that duckweed is capable of adsorbing inorganic and organic pollutants from water.