HORSETAIL PLANT PHYTOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL IN THE DECREASE OF HEAVY METAL IRON (Fe) IN LEACHATE AT CILOWONG’S LANDFILL AREA SERANG CITY

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to determine the potency of horsetail plant to remove heavy metal concentration. Methodology and Results: There are 54 horsetail which are divided into three batches for experimental design by varying number of plants. The first batch used 12 plants, the second batch used 18 plants, and the third batch used 24 plants. The research furthermore used the experimental method with the subsurface flow system treatment. The sample was taken and observed for seven days, with two samplings daily. The results therefore showed that the first batch gave a 6.83% impact on reducing concentration Fe, a batch at 10.28%, and batch three at 16.26%. The average of reducing concentration Fe reached approximately 11%. Therefore, the detention of the process of leachate constructed wetland reactors could significantly reduce Fe contaminant in leachate. Conclusion, significance, and impact of study: This research provides a solution to mitigate the environment by adopting the accumulator of Horsetail plants (Equisetem hyemale) in the constructed wetlands reactor experiment. From the three reactors about 0.03 mg/L of heavy metal iron was removed after a seven day run. Therefore, aquatic plants showed a positive impact in reducing environmental pollution a trend that can be adopted in wastewater and leachate treatment technology in Indonesia.