Application of Phytoremediation for Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus Removal from Treated Swine Wastewater and Bio-methane Potential of the Biomass

The aim of this study is to determine the removal efficiency of total nitrogen and phosphorus from treated swine wastewater by Phragmites australis and Miscanthus sacchariflorus var Geode Uksae-1, and to determine its biomass total energy value and biomethane potential. Plants were grown with a bedding mixture either soil and sand or soil, sand, and bioceramic. Treeated swine wastewater with Total nitrogen (TN) and Total phosphorus (TP) of 222.78 mg/L and 66.11 mg/L, respectively, was utilized. The TN and TP removal is higher in the bio-ceramic-soil-sand bedding media treatment. The highest TN removal of 96.14% was performed by Miscanthus sacchariflorus var Geode Uksae-1, but the elemental analysis shows that Phragmites australis contains more nitrogen than Miscanthus sacchariflorus var Geode Uksae-1, indicating higher nitrogen uptake. The highest TP removal of 98.12% was performed by Phragmites australis. The cellulose content of the plant grown with the bioceramic-soil-sand bedding was approximately 3-6% higher than that of the plant grown in the soil-sand bedding. Different growing substrates may have an effect on the fiber content of plants. The biomethane potential of the produced biomass of the plants was between 57.01 and 99.25 L-CH₄/kg VS. The lignin content is believed to inhibit the breakdown of plant biomass, resulting in the lowest methane production in the Phragmites australis grown in the soil-sand bedding media.