- Thesis topic: The Application of Microwave Plasma on Treatment of Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce as Phytoremediation

- Doi: https://doi.org/10.6840/cycu202100835

- Abstract: 

        In recent years, metal pollution continues to increase in both wastewater, soil waste, and air waste. This continuous increase raises concerns about tackling pollutions. Phytoremediation is a method with great potential without the influence of chemical additives to remove this metal pollution. Furthermore, biomass from phytoremediation has the potential as a plasma pyrolysis feedstock. The microwave plasma pyrolysis produced syngas and biochar as biomass after pyrolyzed. The biochar could be used as an adsorbent material and the syngas mainly Hydrogen has the potential to become gas fuel. Thus, biomass pyrolysis and phytoremediation are potential of renewable fuel, safe and clean method. This study was focused on using Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce as the biomass from removal of metals as phytoremediation. The experiment was carried out by dividing the portion of each biomass, namely Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce into fresh and dried conditions. In microwave plasma, several parameters such as gas flow rate 6, 9, and 12 L.min-1 and power 800,1000, and 1200W have been carried out for 5 minutes. Metal removal was achieved from water hyacinth mix (96.7% of Cd), water hyacinth leaves and petioles (96.1% of Cd and 99.4% Zn, respectively), and water lettuce (88.1% of Pb). Syngas produced using water hyacinth reached 56.3% of hydrogen and water lettuce reached 57.3% of hydrogen of total volume (%). Adsorption using adsorbent from post-treatment plasma has been successfully carried out with the adsorption percentage reached up to 90%.

Keywords: Microwave plasma, Metals, Water hyacinth, Water lettuce, Syngas production