function, such as to reduce nutrients leaching, stimulate microorganism symbiosis,
keep good peat soil moisture, etc.
Peat soils are highly complex porous media with distinct characteristics of
physical and hydraulic properties (Schwarzel et al. 2002; Mustamo et al. 2016;
Rezaneshad et al. 2016). It contains 90% water. However, as the water holding
capacity is poor because of very weak molecular force between water-peat, the
peatlands come to quickly dry up by drainage. Santi and Goenadi (2018) applied
an exo-polysaccharide-producing bacterium on a saprist peat soil in Central Kalimantan, by which the peat soils make aggregate structure, and the water holding
capacity is improved. This evidence shows a possibility that natural zeolites in
combination with the microbe can improve peat soil quality, especially the water
holding capacity, which contributes to maintain high moisture content on peatland
surface, and then to avoid organic matter oxidation of peat, and to prevent peat fire.
Therefore, in this study we proposed AeroHydro Culture, of which technology is
based on the root growth stimulation on peatland surface with high GWL and Plant
Growth Promotion (PGP) material application. In this AeroHydro Culture technology, the natural zeolites with extra-polysaccharide-producing microbe are important
candidate materials for PGP.
10.2 Natural Zeolites: The Magic Rock
A zeolite is a crystalline, hydrated aluminosilicate of alkali and alkaline earth cations
having an infinite, open, three-dimensional structure. It is further able to lose and
gain water reversibly and to exchange cations, both without changing in crystal
structure (Mumpton 1999; Ramesh and Damodar 2011). The natural zeolites of the
clinoptilolite type, such as Bayah-Banten-Indonesia origin, are one of the world’s
most abundant zeolitic minerals (Rehakova et al. 2004). Zeolites are a type of
inclusion compounds and hydrated aluminosilicates, characterized by threedimensional networks of SiO 4 and AlO 4 tetrahedra, linked by the sharing of all
oxygen atoms. The partial substitution, the so-called isomorphic substitution, results
in an excess of negative charge which is compensated by alkali and earth alkaline
cations. These cations are located along with the water molecules in cavities and
channels inside the aluminosilicate macro-anion framework (Schollhorn 1984).
Due to their unique Zeolite properties such as nutrients adsorption, cationexchange, dehydration-rehydration, and catalytic function, Zeolites are widely
applied in (1) agriculture for soil amendments to improve CEC, water sorption
capacities, and soilless zeoponic substrate for greenhouses, (2) water and wastewater
treatments, (3) removing NH 3
+ from drinking water and municipal wastewater,
(4) extraction of Cs and Sr from nuclear wastes, and adsorption of radioactive
fallout, (5) deodorizer of smell, (6) pharmacy, nutraceuticals, animal health and
nourishment, and aquaculture, and (7) construction materials (aggregation of pozzolanic cement), from which Zeolites are called as the magic rock (Mumpton 1999).
10 Zeolites and Aggregate-Stabilizing Microbes for Reducing the Degradation and. . .
329
keep good peat soil moisture, etc.
Peat soils are highly complex porous media with distinct characteristics of
physical and hydraulic properties (Schwarzel et al. 2002; Mustamo et al. 2016;
Rezaneshad et al. 2016). It contains 90% water. However, as the water holding
capacity is poor because of very weak molecular force between water-peat, the
peatlands come to quickly dry up by drainage. Santi and Goenadi (2018) applied
an exo-polysaccharide-producing bacterium on a saprist peat soil in Central Kalimantan, by which the peat soils make aggregate structure, and the water holding
capacity is improved. This evidence shows a possibility that natural zeolites in
combination with the microbe can improve peat soil quality, especially the water
holding capacity, which contributes to maintain high moisture content on peatland
surface, and then to avoid organic matter oxidation of peat, and to prevent peat fire.
Therefore, in this study we proposed AeroHydro Culture, of which technology is
based on the root growth stimulation on peatland surface with high GWL and Plant
Growth Promotion (PGP) material application. In this AeroHydro Culture technology, the natural zeolites with extra-polysaccharide-producing microbe are important
candidate materials for PGP.
10.2 Natural Zeolites: The Magic Rock
A zeolite is a crystalline, hydrated aluminosilicate of alkali and alkaline earth cations
having an infinite, open, three-dimensional structure. It is further able to lose and
gain water reversibly and to exchange cations, both without changing in crystal
structure (Mumpton 1999; Ramesh and Damodar 2011). The natural zeolites of the
clinoptilolite type, such as Bayah-Banten-Indonesia origin, are one of the world’s
most abundant zeolitic minerals (Rehakova et al. 2004). Zeolites are a type of
inclusion compounds and hydrated aluminosilicates, characterized by threedimensional networks of SiO 4 and AlO 4 tetrahedra, linked by the sharing of all
oxygen atoms. The partial substitution, the so-called isomorphic substitution, results
in an excess of negative charge which is compensated by alkali and earth alkaline
cations. These cations are located along with the water molecules in cavities and
channels inside the aluminosilicate macro-anion framework (Schollhorn 1984).
Due to their unique Zeolite properties such as nutrients adsorption, cationexchange, dehydration-rehydration, and catalytic function, Zeolites are widely
applied in (1) agriculture for soil amendments to improve CEC, water sorption
capacities, and soilless zeoponic substrate for greenhouses, (2) water and wastewater
treatments, (3) removing NH 3
+ from drinking water and municipal wastewater,
(4) extraction of Cs and Sr from nuclear wastes, and adsorption of radioactive
fallout, (5) deodorizer of smell, (6) pharmacy, nutraceuticals, animal health and
nourishment, and aquaculture, and (7) construction materials (aggregation of pozzolanic cement), from which Zeolites are called as the magic rock (Mumpton 1999).
10 Zeolites and Aggregate-Stabilizing Microbes for Reducing the Degradation and. . .
329