<![CDATA[This study supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on clean water and sustainable production by evaluating the potential of natural fibers as biofilm media for wastewater treatment. Seven types of media were assessed, including polyurethane sponge as a control, straw, coconut fiber, sugar palm fiber, sphagnum moss, oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB), and tree fern board. The evaluation was conducted over a 30-day period based on physical characteristics (pore size and porosity) and water quality parameters (pH, TDS, TSS, and COD), complemented by organoleptic observations. Media performance was ranked using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The results indicated that tree fern board (TOPSIS score 0.833) and sugar palm fiber (TOPSIS score 0.778) were the most promising natural biofilm media, exhibiting porous structures, good physical stability, and consistent biofilm formation, with performance approaching that of the polyurethane sponge. In contrast, straw, EFB, coconut fiber, and sphagnum moss showed lower performance due to rapid degradation or insufficient structural stability, which adversely affected water quality. Overall, this study confirms that tree fern board and sugar palm fiber are viable and sustainable alternatives to synthetic biofilm media, with strong potential for long-term application in environmentally friendly wastewater treatment systems.]]>
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