Peningkatan Mutu Limbah Cair Tahu dengan Menggunakan Rumput Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides L) pada Beberapa Konsentrasi Limbah

Abstract

Tofu is a food product made from soybeans (Glycine spp. Wastewater effluent of tofu industry contains hight organic contaminant if it’s directly discharged into water can cause pollution to the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of vetiver grass in improving the quality of tofu wastewater (BOD, COD, TSS and pH) and to determine the effect of concentration on the ability of vetiver grass. The research was carried out in hydroponics system at a concentration of waste 100% (K1), 75% (K2), 50% (K3) and 25% (K4), where the vetiver grass was planted on the platform and placed floating on the surface of the wastewater for the 27 days of treatment. The results showed that the vetiver grass was able to improve the quality of wastewater and the effluent concentration effected on the ability of vetiver grass in improving the quality of wastewater. The highest decrease of value occurred at the level of the K4 treatment with removal percentage of BOD was 92.60% (37 mg / L), the levels of COD was 92.76% (122.67 mg / L), the levels of TSS was 94.74% (57 mg / L) and the pH value of 7.12. The smallest decline occurred at the level of K1 treatment with removal percentage of BOD was 62.76% (715 mg / L), the levels of COD was 61.04% (2629.67 mg / L), the levels of TSS was 63.02% (1571, 67 mg / L) and the pH value of 6.05.

Tahu merupakan salah satu produk makanan yang terbuat dari kacang kedelai (Glycine spp). Buangan air limbah tahu masih mengandung polutan organik tinggi dan jika langsung dibuang ke badan air dapat menimbulkan pencemaran yang cukup berat terhadap lingkungan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kemampuan rumput vetiver dalam meningkatkan mutu limbah cair tahu (BOD, COD, TSS dan pH) pada beberapa konsentrasi limbah dan untuk mengetahui pengaruh konsentrasi limbah terhadap kemampuan rumput vetiver dalam meningkatkan mutu limbah cair tahu. Percobaan dilakukan dengan sistem hidroponik pada konsentrasi limbah 100% (K1), 75% (K2), 50% (K3) dan 25% (K4), dimana rumput vetiver ditanam pada platform dan diletakkan mengambang diatas permukaan limbah cair selama 27 hari perlakuan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rumput vetiver mampu meningkatkan mutu limbah cair tahu dan konsentrasi limbah berpengaruh sangat nyata terhadap kemampuan rumput vetiver dalam meningkatkan mutu limbah cair tahu. Nilai penurunan tertinggi terjadi pada taraf perlakuan K4 dengan persentase penurunan kadar BOD sebesar 92,60% (37 mg/L), kadar COD sebesar 92,76% (122,67 mg/L), kadar TSS sebesar 94,74% (57 mg/L) dan nilai pH sebesar 7,12. Penurunan terendah terjadi pada taraf perlakuan K1 dengan persentase penurunan kadar BOD sebesar 62,76% (715 mg/L), kadar COD sebesar 61,04% (2629,67 mg/L), kadar TSS sebesar 63,02% (1571,67 mg/L) dan pH 6,05.