Remediation of Feedlot Nutrients Runoff by Hydroponic Treatment and Electrolysis Process

Abstract

Intensive livestock farming in feedlot producing large amounts of manure and wastewater. Hydroponic and electrolysis treatments were studied for the remediation of nutrients from feedlot runoff. Water hyacinth, water lettuce, and sorghum were hydroponically grown in 10 L of feedlot runoff and Hoagland solution individually in plastic bucket in batches in a greenhouse. All three plants performed well in uptaking NH3-N (more than 90%) in feedlot runoff. From the feedlot runoff, TP reduction by sorghum, water hyacinth, and water lettuce ranged from 70% to 100% , 61% to 74%, and 49% to 93%, respectively. With electrolysis process, 500 mL of feedlot runoff was treated with two rectangular parallel aluminum (Al-Al), iron (Fe-Fe), or hybrid (Al-Fe) electrode at 5 V, 10 V, and 15 V DC up to 30 minutes. The TP reductions were higher (100%) followed by COD (50 % to 75%) and TN (25% to 60%) by tested electrode.