BIOCOMPOSITE (HYDROGEL) PRODUCTION WITH A MIXTURE OF FROGBIT PLANT CELLULOSE (LIMNOBIUM LAEVIGATUM) RESULTS OF PHYTOREMEDIATION OF TEMPEH LIQUID WASTE

• Main Author: Yasfi Nafisah, Nandita
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/83033
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The treatment of waste using phytoremediation has many advantages such as easy operation, relatively affordable costs, and significant reduction of toxic compounds. Liquid waste from tempeh (LTp) produced by soybean processing industries can be remediated using aquatic plants. The phytoremediation system used is free water surface (FWS) with containers measuring 70 x 48 x 42.5 cm using Limnobium laevigatum or frogbit plants. Phytoremediation was conducted with control variations of no waste, LTp 10%, and LTp 25% over 21 days. Phytoremediation of LTp 10% reduced TDS by 56.73%, TSS by 87.17%, COD by 67.07%, ammonia by 72.72%, nitrate by 50.48%, and nitrite by 83.75%. Phytoremediation of LTp 25% showed the greatest decrease in BOD at 56.14%, increased pH from 4.29 to 6.47, and increased DO levels from 4.23 mg/L to 6.02 mg/L. The highest biomass production was achieved with LTp 10%, with a relative growth rate (RGR) of 0.031 g/g/day. Plants resulting from phytoremediation can be utilized in the production of biocomposites such as hidrogel. Nanocellulose content in L. laevigatum can be used as a component in hidrogel production. Nanocellulose is obtained from delignification of L. laevigatum plants through fermentation with Aspergillus niger and acid hydrolysis. Hidrogel were prepared with variations of no nanocellulose, 5% nanocellulose, and 10% nanocellulose. Addition of nanocellulose to hidrogel increased their water absorption capacity (swelling ratio) up to 69.17, exhibited biodegradability up to 96.84% over 30 days, and maintained soil moisture up to 52% over 7 days compared to ordinary hidrogel without nanocellulose. The best results for these parameters were obtained with hidrogel containing 10% nanocellulose.