Edible Halophytes for Effluent Treatment

Published on by in Academic

I am running a pilot project to test different plants' ability to clean sisal effluent (high BOD and COD, high TDS and salinity 14ppt).

The plants either float on the water surface or are put onto raft structures within treatment ponds.

Can anyone suggest any plants (preferably indigenous to E Africa) which will tolerate the salt levels and if possible, be palatable to cows and goats or have an alternative economic return?

We have to be able to put these onto the rafts so their roots can penetrate the water depth, obviously some plants just become far too big and unstable for this design. Ease of harvesting and handling should also be considered.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Taxonomy

8 Answers

  1. Sarah den Haring Maybe Rhus lancea, Karé. 

    http://www.randomharvest.co.za/South-African-Indigenous-Plants/Show-Plant/PlantId/95?Plant=Rhus%20lancea

    "An excellent garden subject that thrives in clay soils and is fast growing if watered regularly.  Uses: (...)  Fodder:  Foliage provides valuable fodder, particularly in dry areas for livestock and game."

    http://www.tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Rhus+lancea

    " An excellent shade-providing tree, it is good for planting along the sides of roads, being able to tolerate to poor soil conditions. (...) Habitat: Savannahs, open woodlands and riverine forests at elevations from 100 - 2,300 metres . An understorey tree in Acacia woodland and along drainage lines, rivers and streams."

     

    1 Comment

    1. Thanks for this Lazslo. I am finding out if we have any of these species near us. I don't see any info regarding salt tolerance though, any ideas?

      1 Comment reply

      1. Here is something: 

         

        https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/rhus-lancea

        "Tree Site Conditions & Constraints

        Sunset Zones 8, 9 and 12 - 24.

         

        USDA Hardiness Zones 9 - 11.

         

        Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade.

        Moist to Dry Soil.

        Drought tolerant.

        Clay, Loam or Sand Texture.

        Slightly Acidic to Highly Alkaline Soil pH.

        Salinity Tolerance is Moderate on Coast.

        Seaside Tolerance is Good in Mild Zone."

         

        Salt tolerance is parallel to drought tolerance, as salt modifies the osmotic pressure, what's having an influence on active matter transport through cell walls. So basically plants that can grow in water (low ORP) and high salinity (high TDS) are fit for your needs. Now what you need to find out is what does the people living in nearby coastal and lagoon areas give as a fodder to their beasts? 

        By the way, grey mangrove might be an option, too, alhough it is not always edible: 

        http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai387e/AI387E06.htm 

        "Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. AVICENNIACEAE Common name: Grey mangrove Dhivehi name: Baru (...) Uses: Leaves are considered as one of the best fodder for camel. Cattle also feed on shoots and leaves during the rainy season when the salt content is low in the leaves."

         

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avicennia_marina

         

        Regards, 

         

        László

  3. Hi, people.  

    1. There is no sign of any pathogens attending in plants' tissues rooting in wastewater. Most emergent pollutants are processed in the root zone. Toxic elements may be stacked and aggregated in plants, so the sisal effluent should be tested for As, Hg, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, etc. If there is no considerable amount of these found the plant grown on the treated wastewater can be considered available for forage. 

    If requested, please note and I can provide relevant literature. 

    2. The quality of the wastewater, technology of harvest and farming technology will influence availability of the end product. Most BOD processing bacterial cultures include pathogens, so a culture which get contaminated with the sludge is not preferred. I would suggest using rafts or other means of hydroculture, if the treatment technology allows. 

    3. Please consider pH, too. I'm not familiar with sisal industry, so a bit of information might help. 

    4. Available crops for the first glance: Typha orientalis/latifolia, Rhoicissus digitata, Cyperus textilis, Mischanus sinensis, Schoenoplectus pungens, Phragmites australis

     

    Regards, 

    Tuti

     

    1 Comment

    1. French English

      Bonjour 

      Je suis à la recherche d'un  Scientifique qui pourrait être assez fou pour assurer qu'aucune molécule chimique absorbée par les racines ne se divulgera pas dans le corps de la plante et dans le fruit?

      En plus il faut ajouter qu'il n'y a pas qu'une molécule chimique, mais de nombreuses molécules chimiques x,y,z, etc dispersées dans les eaux usées, en plus des composants bio chimique produits par le corps humain

      Tous les milieux hydrauliques naturels de surface servent de poubelle à l'économie. 

      Et je réitère mon message: la biodiversité végétale n'a aucune vocation à épurer les eaux usées.

      Hello I'm looking for a scientist who could be crazy enough to ensure that no chemical molecule absorbed by the roots does not divulgera in the body of the plant and in the fruit?

      In addition it is necessary to add that there is not only one chemical molecule, but many chemical molecules X, y, Z, etc. dispersed in wastewater, in addition to the bio-chemical components produced by the human body

      All natural surface hydraulics serve as a dustbin to the economy. 

      And I repeat my message: plant biodiversity has no vocation to purify wastewater.

       

       

  4. Dear MS Sarah den Haring,
     
    I am a passionate ​believer in ​simple, ​appropriate and ​affordable ​solutions too, even your and my company name AV is equal too ;-)

    You may search on the Kenyan coastline in marsh area for this plants and discuss with university experts + local farmers from Kenya about your findings. After that have your own tests.
     
    What I know from Indonesia: Vetiver Gras takes salty water and is food for animals too.
     
    Nevertheless, using plant roods as biofilm carrier for effluent treatment, I call it a "simple" Mangrove-approach, just "copy/paste" from Mangroves ;-). See important presentation & by us (AV) adapted theoretical concept from Donkins and Mendzil (2014) from Swansea University https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKAVq5Rv1tE and http://www.aqua-verde.de/attachments/Image/ergaenztes-theoretisches-Konzept-schwimmende-PKA-Uebersicht-aerob%2Banaerob-Dodkins-Mendzil_1.jpg?template=generic

    summery: just small %-numbers for N & P!!! "up takes" in comparison to large %-changes by Biofilm & settling-periodical desludging.

    Kindly see details in above mentoined youtube-presentation by Dr. Donkins. Our (AV) important diffences are: we are not only looking for "easy" stromwater improvements by passive natural biofilm carrier (proprietary & patent driven systems by and for few), we would like to have a very activ "production" of new biofilm and "removal" from biofilm carrier + settling (periodical P-desludging after ~5-8 years), by alternating OLOID's circulations of sewage, in order to create a very active/cheap/"simple" and robust wwtp (active pond system as a “non-proprietary” technology, " Open Source " by and for many).

     

    Which kind of floating matts do you use, natural or plastic made in Kenyia?


    Viele Grüße

    Detlef SCHWAGER
    MSc. Tropen-Wasserwirtschafts-Ing.

    AquaVerde (AV)

  7. Jean is exactly correct. If attempting this  I fell you need to take a step back and consider the short and long term.  First at the end of this journey you wish to have a food a cow can consume. = $ .  Then you need to find out what foods are acceptable that the cow WILL consume.  Next whenever you want a certain waste item clean through plant root system look up (online) plant nutritional requirements. They will have the element, and ppm acceptable. use this info for cow too. If there is ever a concern of pathogens or toxicity simply add an RNA microbial group to the medium which the selected plant grows.  Never a no answer. Just learn how to work with the established parameters of both plant and animal.  

  8. Bonjour La seule suggestion que je peux vous faire, c'est de cesser de croirre que les plantes ont un pouvoir de traitement des effluents. toutes les palntes ont un complexe racinaire adapté au milieu dans lesquel elles vivent. Ces racines absorbent un liquide mis à leur disposition avec tout ce qu'il contient, y compris les éléments toxiques.  Arrivée à saturation la plante meurt et restitue dans l'environnement la pollution dont elle est saturée.

    La biodiversité végétale n'a aucune vocation d'épurer un effluent.  

    Si en plus ces plantes servent à d'aliment les animaux qui les mangeront seront contaminés et contamineront à leur tour toutes les populations qui vivent de leur support.

    On marche sur la tête 

    English

    Hello the only suggestion I can make you is to stop croirre that plants have an effluent treatment power. All palntes have a root complex adapted to the environment in which they live. These roots absorb a liquid made available to them with everything contained therein, including the toxic elements.  Arrival at saturation the plant dies and returns to the environment the pollution from which it is saturated. 

    Plant biodiversity has no vocation to purify an effluent.  

    If these plants are used to feed the animals that eat them will be contaminated and in turn contaminate all the populations that live in their support.

    We're walking on the head