Utilization of Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) Waste to Increase Water Absorption Rate in Zeoponic Plant Growth Media

The quality of the plant growth medium (PGM) is crucial for the growth of horticultural plants, yet a common issue with PGM is its high electrical conductivity. Zeoponics, which uses zeolite as a base material often combined with compost, cocopeat, and fertilizers, helps mitigate this issue. However, Zeoponics still requires frequent watering due to limited water absorption. This research explores the incorporation of super absorbent polymer (SAP), known for absorbing 200 to 400 times its weight in water, to address this limitation. The study aimed to determine the optimal SAP quantity and assess plant survival duration with a new blend, termed zeoponic super absorbent (ZSA). Green mustard plants were used as indicators, with growth parameters such as height, fresh weight, and dry weight measured. Various ZSA blends were prepared with different SAP waste percentages (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, and 1%). Results indicate that increasing SAP concentration improves soil water retention and field capacity. The ZSA blend with 1% SAP content exhibited the highest air-dry moisture content (71.92%) and field capacity (205.5%), reducing the watering frequency to approximately once every 21 days. Additionally, optimal plant growth parameters, including height, leaf width, leaf length, and stem diameter, were observed at the 1% SAP concentration. The highest fresh weight (58.60 g) and dry weight (14.72 g) were observed at 1.0% SAP (ZSA5), indicating optimal biomass growth at this concentration. These findings suggest that integrating SAP into Zeoponics can significantly enhance water retention, improve plant growth, and increase drought resistance. This offers a practical solution for agricultural practices in water-stressed environments.