In Situ Biofiltration Performance of Hydro-nets as Tested in Moss in San Vicente River in San Jacinto, Pangasinan: An Environmental Assessment and Remediation

Abstract

According to Water Environment Partnership in Asia (WEPA), 32 percent of the Philippines’ land mass — approximately 96,000 square kilometers — is used for agriculture. In San Vicente, San Jacinto, Pangasinan the water pollution is one of the barangays main problems because of the industrialization that reduces the quality of the water. This study correlates the performance of Ectohydric moss and Moss walls in barangay San Vicente River. Specifically, the water particulates filtered by the Ectohydric Moss and Moss Walls, the significant difference between the level of water biofiltration performance as filtered in the Ectohydric Moss and Moss Walls after 2 hours per day within 3 days, the significant interaction between the Ectohydric Moss and Moss Walls to the level of water biofiltration performance, and the significant interaction between the Ectohydric Moss and Moss Walls water biofiltration performance in terms of environmental thermal gradient. The moss walls were collected in San Jacinto, Pangasinan and the ectohydric moss was collected in Busol Watershed in Aurora Hill, Baguio City. The mosses were authenticated at University of Pangasinan, Dagupan City. The steps involved in this study was the creation of the improvised (12) biofilter hydro-nets. Then 10 grams of moss walls were contained in each out of 6 biofilter hydro-nets and same process to the 10 grams of ectohydric moss were contained in each out of 6 biofilter hydro-nets. The biofilters were exposed in the San Vicente River for 2 hours each day within 3 days and the proportion of the mosses are 2 moss walls biofilter hydro-nets is to 2 ectohydric moss biofilter hydro-nets per day within 3 days. Findings shows that first, the water particulates registered in Ectohydric moss and Moss walls are Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd), and Nickel (Ni). Second, the total average absorbance rate of heavy metals of ectohydric moss is 0.0492 and the total average absorbance rate of heavy metals of moss walls is 0.0524. Third, no significant difference was observed between the water biofiltration performance of ectohydric moss and moss walls. Lastly, no significant interaction was observed between the two plant species to the absorbed heavy metals. Further, based on the conclusions the research recommends that the mayor and barangay officials of San Vicente, San Jacinto, Pangasinan should plant and culture ectohydric moss and moss walls near to the river, and the future researchers should make a research that will deal to the parameter about environmental thermal gradient of the two plant species.