The Effectiveness of Bio-decomposer EM-4 on Macro Nutrients in

Water Hyacinth Compost (Euchornia Crassipes)

Hikma Yani

and Nisrina

Prodi Agroteknologi, Fakultas Pertanian Gajah Putih, Takengon, Indonesia

Prodi Peternakan, Fakultas Pertanian Gajah Putih, Takengon, Indonesia

Keywords: Water Hyacinth, EM-4, Compost, Macro Nutrient, SNI.

Abstract: This study is to determine the effect of EM-4 on the result of the characteristics of nutrient macro compost of

water hyacinth and to know the quality of compost that is produced based on Standar Nasional Indonesia

(SNI), National Indonesian Standard. The process of composting applies one replicate with three treatments

(K0, K1 and K2). The method used in this study is experiment research with three treatments that is without

EM-4, EM-4 20% and 10%. Grade of nutrients analyzed are C, N, P, K and the method used is thermograph,

Kjehdal, Walkey and Black, Bray I, and Morgan-Wolf. Kjehdahl method is used to determine the amount of

N. Walkley and Black is used to determine C-organic. Bray I method is used to detect the amount of P and

Morgan-Wolf method is used to determine K metal. The result of the study shows that each compost K2, K1

and K0 has grade N: 1,72; 1,58; 1,75, the grade of C-organic: 25,78; 25,23; 28,75, the grade of P: 0,47; 0,54;

0,54 and the grade of K: 2,42;2,53;2,58. The grade of nutrient obtained is suitable with SNI (standar nasional

Indonesia), National Indonesian Standard.

1 INTRODUCTION

Lut Tawar Lake is a water resort located in Aceh

Tengah. Water plants, hyacinth, are found on this

lake. Water hyacinth has rapid growth therefore it is

assumed that the weeds or parasites destroy the

waters. Water hyacinth in small amount can give

good effect on waters as they can absorb the chemical

waste; therefore, they can reduce water pollution.

Hartanti, (2014) says that water hyacinth has

fitoremediasi ability that can reduce chromium metal

on liquid waste industry. On the other hand (Renilaili,

2015) says that water hyacinth can absorb cadmium

metal, mercury, nickel, and pesticide.

A big amount of water hyacinth can cause

negative effect that that it can distract the optimal

utilization of water by accelerating the shallowness of

the irrigation, enlarging the vapor-transpiration

process, making complicated water transportation

and decreasing fishery production. To decrease those

problems, effort is to be made to process water

hyacinth becoming more beneficial product. One of

them is through composting.

The process of making compost can be

accelerated by using bio-decomposer, EM-4, that can

obtain good quality of compost. The process of

making compost is by disentangling the organic

material biologically with the result that is good to be

applied for the ground. The process of making

compost is aimed to decrease the carbon level

towards nitrogen or called ratio C/N (Nuraini, 2009).

The fresh water hyacinth contains important

compounds for both for land and the plants,

consisting water 95,5%; organic material 3,5%;

nitrogen 0,04%; phosphor (P

) 0,06%; and

calcium (K

O) 0,20%. On the other hand, organic

material in dry situation in water hyacinth consists of

cellulose 64,51%, pentose 15,61%, silica 5,56%, dust

12%, and lignin 7,69% (Forth, 2008). The height of

cellulose and in water hyacinth causes these materials

difficult to be decomposer naturally. Therefore,

activators are used to accelerate the process of

making compost; one of them is by bio-decomposer

EM-4.

EM-4 consists of microorganism that can increase

soil microbe, fix prosperous and quality land and

accelerate the process of making compost. EM-4

consists of fermentation of microorganism and

synthetic that is bacteria lactate acid (lactobacillus),

bacteria photosynthetic (rhodopseudomonas),

actinomycetes, streptomycetes, and yeast (Siburian,

2007).

Yani, H. and Nisrina, .

The Effectiveness of Bio-decomposer EM-4 on Macro Nutrients in Water Hyacinth Compost (Euchornia Crassipes).

DOI: 10.5220/0008883601650170

In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR 2018) - , pages 165-170

ISBN: 978-989-758-437-4

165

Based on that theory, the writer is interested to

conduct research on “the effectiveness of Bio-

decomposer EM-4 on the macro nutrient of water

hyacinth compost (Euchornia crassipes).

2 METHODOLOGY

2.1 Research Design

The method used in this study is experiment. In this

study three treatments are applied, each of which is

replicated (3x1). Treatments utilized are as follows

Treatment 1 : water hyacinth compost without

EM-4 (K0)

Treatment 2 : water hyacinth compost with

10% concentrates EM-4 (K1)

Treatment 3 : water hyacinth compost with

20% concentrates EM-4 (K2)

2.2 Data Collection

The method to collect the data is through observation,

direct experiment and taking note systematically from

the amount of macro nutrients.

2.3 Parameter of the Study

Parameter observed during the study is the grade of

macro nutrients from compost containing elements

of: C, N, P, and K.

2.4 Experiment Procedure

2.4.1 Preparation Phase

Water hyacinth has been dried for one day to decrease

level of water. Next, it is chopped to make the size

small. Water hyacinth is taken into account as many

as 15 kg for each container of K2, K1 and K0; then,

put into three containers having holes; each of them

consists of 15 kg, Therefore, the steps are follows:

1. K2 compost.

Container 1, using bio-decomposer 500 mL EM-

4 (K2) for 2,5 L solution. For K2 with 500 mL

EM-4 added with 2 L of water. Some of water

hyacinth is put into container, then K2 solution is

poured slightly and for the next step it is stern.

Next the water hyacinth is poured into container

and mixed with K2 solution slightly, and the step

is repeated until the container is full.

2. K1 compost.

Container 2, using 250 mL EM-4 (K1) for 2,5 L

solution. For K1 solution added with 250 mL EM-

4 and added with 2,25 L of water. Some of water

hyacinth is put into container, then, K2 solution is

poured slightly. The next step is stiring. Then the

water hyacinth is put into container and goes hand

in hand with K2 solution slightly and the step is

repeated until the container full.

3. K0 compost.

Container 3 as the control is without using bio-

decomposer (K0) only using 2,5 L of water. Then,

the step is like K2 for K0 compost.

The next step, is that each material is tightly closed

and to let the process of making compost run for 60

days. During the process of making compost, then

the condition of compost is checked in 5 day interval

and the materials are turned upside down. By this the

process of characterization of making compost is

done.

2.4.2 Characterization

Characterization is done to know the grade of

nutrients of compost of C, N, P, and K.

1) Determining the grade of N by applying Kjehdahl

Method.

The compost that has been grinded is measured to

0,25 gram and put it into storage digester of

Kjehdahl and added with 0,25-0,50 gram

selenium mixture and 3 mL concentrated H

mixed in the interval range of temperature of

150

C up to maximum temperature 350

C to

obtain transparent liquid (3,0-3,5 jam). After

getting cool, it is diluted with some aquades.

Then, the solution is moved quantitavely into

storage digester with the volume of 250 mL, then,

added with non-ion water until half of volume of

storage digester, and some of boiled stone to

muffle the buble of water. After this is the

preparing of repare storage for distillate that is 10

mL H

1% in Erlenmeyer volume, 100 mL by

adding 3 drops Conway indicator. It is distillated

by adding 20 mL NaOH 40%, the distillation is

finished if the volume of liquid in Erlenmeyer is

up to approximately 75 mL. Distillation titrated

with H

0,05 N is done, until the last dot (the

color of solution changes from green to soft pink)

2) Determining C-Organic by using Walkley and

Black Method.

Having been grinded, the compost is measured for

0,50-0,10 gram and put into storage with the

volume of 100 mL. The next step is, in row, that

is by adding 5 mL solution K

2 N and 7 mL

98% then it is mixed and kept until 30

minutes goes by and once in a while it is mixed if

necessary. For standard contain of 250 ppm C, it

ICMR 2018 - International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research

166

is taken 5 mL H

and 7 mL solution of

2 N with activity like in the above steps.

It is also done for blank that is used as standard 0

ppm C; it is diluted with non-ion water until it is

homogeny and kept for all night long. The next

day it is measured by spectrophotometer visible

with the wave of 651 nm in length.

3) Determining the grade of P by using Bray I

Method.

The compost is measured as much as 0,25 gram

and put it in Erlenmeyer 100 mL. The next step is

adding 25 mL solution of Bray and Kurt I (NH

added with HCl); they are mixed for 5 minutes

and filtered. 2 mL filtrate transparent is taken into

tube reaction. Compost and standard series are

added with dye reagent phosphate as much as 10

mL, to be mixed and kept for 30 minutes. The next

step is measuring with spectrophotometer visible

that has wave of 693 nm in length. The result of

measurement is compared with standard curve.

4) Determining the grade of Metal K by using

Morgan-Wolf Method.

The grade of metal K is determined by flame

photometer /spectrophotometer atom absorption

atom (AAS). Grinded compost is measured for

0,50 gram and put into digestion of Kjehdahl.

Then it is added with 5 mL HNO

and 0,50 mL

HClO

, then mixed and kept for a night long.

Then, it is burned in block digester of 100

C, after

yellow steam runs out of the temperature raises up

to 200

C. Destruction is finished if the white

steam already comes out and the liquid in the

digester remains about 50 mL, and then to be

mixed until homogeny and kept a night or filtered

with W-41 paper filter, therefore it gets

transparent extract (extract A). The next step of

extract A is by taking 1 mL into a chemical glass

volume 20 mL, then being added with 9 mL of

non-ion water (dilutor can be used), mixed in

vortex mixer until homogeny. This extract is the

result of 10x dilution (extract B). It is measured

by the grade of metal K in extract B by using

flame photometer /AAS.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The observation on water hyacinth compost that has

been produced for 60 days by the process of making

compost includes the nutrients of: C, N, P, K. as

Vargas et al (2005) states that the important

parameter of physics and chemical measures are pH,

C, N, grade of water, and organic material.

Determination of the grade of nutrient is done by

doing characterization on various experimented

compost. Through characterizing, the quality of water

hyacinth compost can be determined based on

compost of SNI (Indonesian National Standard)

national Indonesian Standard. The grade of nutrients

of compost obtained can be seen in the following

tables:

Table 1: Grade of nutrient and pH of water hyacinth

compost.

Parameter

(%)

Treatment

K2 K1 K0

N 1,72 1,58 1,75

C-Or

anic 25,78 25,23 28,75

P 0,47 0,54 0,54

2,42 2,53 2,58

3.1 Grade of Carbon (C)

Carbon is the principle element in organic material.

Grade of C in the organic material will decrease after

processing the compost. The changes of C-organic

are caused by activity of microorganism in compost.

This microorganism will consume organic material in

the compost as the source of energy for composing

the cell by releasing CO

and H

O (Baroroh et al,

2015). The more water is produced, the less grade of

carbon is got, (Lu et al, 2009). The organic compound

decreases, on the other hand inorganic compound

raises in amount. Moreover, extrication of carbon

monoxide happens in the process of making compost

as the result of activity of microorganism, and it can

be the grade of C-organic. The longer time taken in

process of making compost, the less of grade C-

organic is received because it has been torn down to

be simple compound by microorganism (Harizena,

2012)

From the table above, we know that C-organic

received for each K2, K1 and K0 is 25,78; 25,23; and

28,75. The lowest grade of C-organic obtained is

compost K1. This fact goes hand in hand with the

result of the study conducted by Norman et al (2014),

on the study of the process of making compost of peel

of jackfruit. After 7 days, being, added EM-4 50%,

we can receive lower grade of C-organic compared

with other concentration (40% and 30%). The result

of study conducted by Ameen et al (2016) shows that

the grade of C-organic from the product of making

compost process on organic material using inoculums

is less compared with that without using inoculums.

This is caused by giving EM-4 additional amount of

microorganism, thus, the microorganism is more

involved in decomposition of water hyacinth.

The Effectiveness of Bio-decomposer EM-4 on Macro Nutrients in Water Hyacinth Compost (Euchornia Crassipes)

167

Nevertheless, the treatment on compost without EM-

4 does not exist in the growth of active agent to

accelerate the process of making compost, therefore,

it causes the process of making compost to run

naturally and the microorganism involved is less

compared with the compost receiving the treatment

with EM-4. At least, microorganism involved causes

the energy to be less as well, thus the grade C-organic

is getting higher (Gusti et al, 2013).

The result of the study shows that the grade of C-

organic in water hyacinth compost is based on SNI

(Indonesian National Standard) (9,8-32%),

nevertheless the mean is high. This result goes hand

in hand with study conducted by Nagerabi (2011) on

the chemical quality, physic, and microbe in compost

heap that with grade of C-organic received of 22-

25%. The grade C-organic at the end of process of

making compost remains high; it is caused by the

condition of the death phase of microorganism so, it

cannot tear down the organic compound (Chaerul,

2009).

3.2 Grade of Nitrogen (N)

The element of total N in compost is received from

the result of degradation of organic material (water

hyacinth) by microorganism. The quantity of

microorganism depends on the condition of

environment such as the level of water, substrate,

aerobic or anaerobic, mesophilik or thermophilik.

During the process of making compost, the element

N is used as the maintenance and arranging cell of

microorganism. The more nitrogen is got, the faster

the organic material is straggled. The grade of N will

keep increasing until the end of process of making

compost because the process of changing mineral N-

organic becomes N-mineral by microorganism

(Outerbridge, 1991).

The grade of total N is used as indicator to know

the expediency of compost. The grade of total N

based on table 1 above for each K2, K1 and K0 is

1,72; 1,58 and 1,75. The highest grade of N is

compost K0 (without adding EM-4). This matter is

suitable with the result study done by Ratna (2013) on

the process of making compost for the waste of

hospital. It is shown that the compost without being

added EM-4 has higher grade of N-total (1,3%)

compared with compost by adding EM-4 (0,9%).

Then , the result of the study conducted by Astuti et

al (2008) on the process of making compost for

sheep’s fesses, shows that the mean of N-total is

higher if the compost is without EM-4 compared with

by adding EM-4. From the table 4.1 above, it is

known that the grade of N-total in K2, K1 and K0 is

based on SNI (Indonesian National Standard) (N-total

≥ 0,1%)

3.3 Grade of Fospor (P)

The element total of P is the element that is hard to be

diluted but it is needed by microorganism for

synthetic nucleate acid. The availability of P-organic

for plants depends on the activity of microbe to

change it into mineral. Therefore, the existence is

important for surviving of the microorganism (Havlin

et al., 1999). The process of changing element

mineral P is helped by enzyme fosfatase causing the

microbe in compost to grow and blossom well. The

level of phosphor in compost depends on the amount

of phosphor contained from the basic material and the

quantity of microbe involved in the process of making

compost. The grade of element P is getting higher

because of corrosion of organic material. In the

maturity phase, microbe will die and P in the

microorganism will blend in the compost material

that will directly increase the phosphor in the compost

(Kurnia et al, 2017). Stofela and Khan (2001) states

that the content of P depends on the content of N with

more multiplicity of microorganism tearing down P,

thus the content of P will increase in consequences.

From table 1 above, it is known that the grade of

P for each K2, K1, K0 is 0,47; 0,54; and 0,54. The

highest grade of P is obtained by compost K0 and K1

that shares the same score. Based on the result of

study conducted by Karyono et al (2017) on the

process of making compost of organic waste, it is

obtained that the highest grade of P is in compost with

concentration EM-4 30% in it, followed by the

compost with other concentration (40%, 50% and

60%). Then , the result of study conducted by

Manuputty et al (2012) on the process of making

compost from the waste of city, shows that compost

without EM-4 in it has the highest grade of P

compared with other treatment (adding EM-4 150 mL

and 300 mL).

From the table 1 above, it is known that the grade

of P in K2, K1 and K0 have little difference. The

result of the study conducted by Fan (2016) shows

that there is no apparent difference among compost

added by activator or not. Nevertheless, the water

hyacinth compost (K2, K1 and K0) is suitable with

the SNI (Indonesian National Standard) that the

minimum grade of phosphor is 0,10%.

3.4 Grade of Potassium (K)

The compost material consists of potassium in the

form of complex organic that cannot be used directly

ICMR 2018 - International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research

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by plants for its growth. Because of being

decomposed by microorganism, K element in form of

organic complex can be changed into simple K

organic in the form of K

that can be absorbed by the

plants. The bacteria solvent of phosphate generally

can dilute the element potassium in the organic

material. The element potassium in the basic material

of compost is used for metabolism of microbe and for

catalisator (Iliyin et al, 2012). This causes the

increasing grade of K at the end of the process of

making compost at the beginning of the process.

From the table 1 above, it is known that the grade

of K obtained for each K2, K1and K0 is 2,42; 2,53;

and 2,58. The highest grade of K is accepted in

compost K0. The condition may be because the basic

material has the chemical element in it that is water

hyacinth containing the nutrient K, thus it can

influence the activity of bacteria during the process of

making compost. This goes in line with the study

conducted by Yenie and Andesgur (2016) that the

highest grade of K-total is in the compost without

adding EM-4, then the grade of k decrease in

treatment EM-4 0,9%, 0,7% and 0,5%. Then, the

result of the study conducted by Pangestuti (2008)

shows that the grade of K after 40 days of the process

of making compost heap without adding bio-

decomposer is higher than that in compost by adding

the bio-decomposer in it. From table 1 above, it is

apparently seen that the grade of K in compost K2,

K1 and K0 is based on SNI (Indonesian National

Standard) (the grade K ≥ 0,2%). The grade of nutrient

in compost that is based on the SNI Indonesian

National Standard will influence positively if it is

applied for land and plants.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Bio-decomposer EM-4 is effective on the grade of

carbon (C) and phosphor (P) in the water hyacinth

composting. The grade of nutrient that consists of: C,

N, P, K in the water hyacinth compost has been

appropriate with SNI (Indonesian National Standard)

National Indonesia Standard.

5 RECOMMENDATION

For the highwater level of water hyacinth at the

beginning of process of making compost, sunbathing

is needed in longer time (more than two days if the

day is blazing). Through this way the process of

making compost is done faster and can decrease the

high level of humidity for the product of compost.

Moreover, because of the limitation of means, for the

next time, pH and temperature for certain interval is

needed to be measured.

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