Comparing The Ability to Treat Artificial Cow Wastewater by Constructed Wetland Model Using Sorghastrum nutans and Brachiaria humidicola

Abstract

In addition to meat production, the cattle industry generates significant waste, including bedding materials, wastewater, animal manure, and losses related to feed. If not managed correctly, these byproducts can have adverse environmental impacts. Constructed wetlands (CWs) offer a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for sustainable wastewater treatment. By virtue of their extensive root systems and filtration matrices, CWs effectively reduce pollution by eliminating suspended particles, organic matter, heavy metals, and pathogens from wastewater. This research aims to assess pollutants present in cattle wastewater and evaluate the efficacy of Sorghastrum nutans and Brachiaria humidicola in purifying contaminants within constructed wetlands (CWs). CWs planted with B. humidicola exhibited higher removal rates for nutrient pollutants compared to CWs utilizing S. nutans. After a week of treatment, B. humidicola-based CWs demonstrated removal percentages of 94.07% for total nitrogen and 91.58% for phosphate (PO₄³⁻). Constructed wetlands also prove effective in eliminating biological contaminants like Escherichia coli and Shigella sp. This study highlights that the CW model incorporating B. humidicola outperforms the S. nutans model, achieving 100% removal of E. coli and 97.37% removal of Shigella sp. In conclusion, cow wastewater contains nutrient and biological pollutants, both effectively mitigated by CWs using selected plant species. Notably, B. humidicola surpasses S. nutans in its capacity for pollutant removal.