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Tropical Application of Floating Treatment Wetlands

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Abstract

The treatment efficiencies of floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) containing two types of macrophytes, Typha angustifolia and Canna iridiflora, were investigated in a pilot scale study in the tropical climate of Sri Lanka. In batch experiments, over 80 % of biological oxygen demand (BOD5) and ammonium (NH +4 -N) removal was observed, while nitrate (NO −3 -N) removal was over 40 %. Typha angustifolia showed slightly higher BOD5, NH +4 -N and NO −3 -N removal than Canna iridiflora. Because of higher and steady root growth, Typha angustifolia resulted in a better performance and has a greater potential to extract nutrients from wastewater and allow water-plant interactions than Canna iridiflora whose root mat is thick and compact. Similar to the batch system, the continuous flow systems performed better at most times with Typha angustifolia. FTWs with Typha angustifolia may be considered a possible solution for lake restoration where there are space and cost constraints.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude towards Environmental Endeavor-2, a collaboration effort between the LIEN Foundation and Nanyang Technological University, for financially supporting this project. Kind technical assistance from Mr. P Fernando, National Water Supply and Drainage Board is greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Kandy South Treatment Plant, Kandy, 20400, Sri Lanka

    S. K. Weragoda

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka

    K. B. S. N. Jinadasa

  3. Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang, 639798, Singapore

    Dong Qing Zhang, Soon Keat Tan & Ng Wun Jern

  4. Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, Hardy Tower 119, 5500 Campanile, San Diego, CA, 92182-4162, USA

    Richard M. Gersberg

  5. Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama, 338-8570, Japan

    Norio Tanaka

Authors
  1. S. K. Weragoda
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  2. K. B. S. N. Jinadasa
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  3. Dong Qing Zhang
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  4. Richard M. Gersberg
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  5. Soon Keat Tan
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  6. Norio Tanaka
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  7. Ng Wun Jern
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Correspondence to Dong Qing Zhang.

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Weragoda, S.K., Jinadasa, K.B.S.N., Zhang, D.Q. et al. Tropical Application of Floating Treatment Wetlands. Wetlands 32, 955–961 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-012-0333-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-012-0333-5

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