CHARACTERIZATION OF WASTE POND SILT AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR PLANTING MEDIA

Abstract

In planting, top soil is commonly used as a vital component of planting media. However, the price is quite high in the market due to its potential and good demand. Waste of silt soil with zero cost is highly potential to replace the top soil due to its natural composition and properties. In this study, silt soil is being characterized to determine its potential as alternative of planting medium. Three types of soil (silt, top soil and clay) were used to compare their composition and real top soil was taken as comparative reference. The samples were taken to evaluate pH analysis, FT-IR analysis, Elemental Analyzer and ICP-OES analysis. Silt has pH of 6.58 while top soil and clay are 6.57 and 6.58 respectively. Silt, top soil and clay have functional groups such as stretching of O-H in several groups, vibrations associated with several groups and out-of-plane with some groups. Silt, top soil and clay have carbon percentage of 0.84%, 1.38%, 0.17%, hydrogen percentage of 1.09%, 1.74%, 1.35%, nitrogen percentage of 0.39%, 0.63%, 0.52% respectively while sulphur percentage only contains in silt which is 2.40%. Silt, top soil and clay were also found to have metal elements such as K, V, Cr, Mn and Zn. Therefore, the similarities on important properties between silt and top soil have become paramount indication that waste pond silt has potential to become an alternative soil for planting media especially in agriculture activity.