Eco-friendly treatment of laboratory wastewater using plantain pseudo-stem

Chemical waste accumulates in the environment due to the improper disposal of laboratory wastewater. Wastewater generated after inorganic analysis typically contains hardness-causing substances, resulting in elevated oxygen demand. However, conventional wastewater treatment is often prohibitively expensive, especially in resource-limited settings. An eco-friendly method is therefore essential for recycling laboratory wastewater for washing purposes. In this study, laboratory wastewater was treated using a natural adsorbent—raw plantain pseudo-stem (RPPS)—and its powdered form (PPPS). Post-treatment analysis showed significant improvement in the physical and chemical parameters. Water quality indicators, such as pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, conductivity, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and concentrations of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, iron, and copper), were assessed before and after treatment using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results showed that both RPPS and PPPS were effective, eco-friendly, and cost-efficient for laboratory wastewater treatment, with PPPS exhibiting superior adsorption performance.