Publication: Development and characterization of vigna radiata coagulant extract for nutrient recovery from synthetic aquaculture wastewater
Loading...
Date
2023-12-01
Authors
Amina Adedoja Owodunni
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This research aimed to create a low-cost, biodegradable, and renewable coagulant from Vigna radiata (green bean) seed as a potential alternative to chemical coagulants due to concerns about metal residues. The coagulant was prepared using a CaCl2 salt solution and optimized using the Design of Experiment. The coagulant (GB-Co) was characterized and analyzed using FTIR, SEM-EDX, Zeta potential, and particle size analysis. The coagulant showed high turbidity, PO4, and NO3 removal efficiencies. The effect of initial pH (2-12), coagulant dosage (2-50 ml/L), extraction medium (distilled water, NaCl, MgCl2, and CaCl2), settling time (15-60 min), and removal of turbidity, PO4, and NO3 wastewater in singly or combined were investigated in precise. The results showed that at neutral pH 7, the coagulant effectively removed up to 97% turbidity but had lower PO4 and NO3 removal efficiencies. At initial pH11, PO4 and NO3 removals were significantly high at 95% and 60%, respectively. Also, a coagulant dosage of 2ml/L was sufficient to remove a high percentage of turbidity and PO4, but NO3 removal required up to 50 ml/L for efficient removal. A settling time of 60 min was enough to achieve optimal pollutant removal. The experimental design optimized coagulation parameters, resulting in 60.10%, 66.25%, and 43.3% removal for turbidity, PO4, and NO3 removal in aquaculture wastewater treatment. The elemental analysis and surface morphology found that the floc contained essential macro-nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. The efficacy of the floc on spinach plant growth was compared with the various treatment formulations. The experiment showed that spinach grown with the floc was comparable to fertilizer-grown spinach, suggesting the potential of the nutrient-rich floc as a soil conditioner.