Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of horizontal flow constructed wetland system made up of single-size gravel media root zone using Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) as emergent plant with focus on removal of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, nitrate and orthophosphate of sewage in microcosms scale test bed. In this study, wetland was made of RCC tank [1.8 m (L) × 0.8 m (W) × 0.7 m (H)] and planted with vetiver in 20 mm gravel root zone media and another setup without plants was maintained as a control. Constructed wetland was subjected to a flow rate of 0.18 m3/day and 0.12 m3/day corresponding to hydraulic retention time of 2 and 3 days, respectively, and pollutant loading rates in gm/m3/d in the range of 20.04–30.8, 45.59–49.2, 3.48–4.94 and 1.13–1.4, respectively, for biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, nitrate and orthophosphate. Removal efficiency achieved for biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, nitrate and orthophosphate was in the range of 88.87–92.25%, 77.65–81.07%, 44.97–51.43% and 49.17–53.33%, respectively, for 2 and 3 days of hydraulic retention time for the wetland system. Removal efficiency of horizontal flow constructed wetland system with vetiver is statistically significant (p < 0.05: two-sample Student’s t test) compared to control. Results obtained are validated through Proff. Kickuth and K-C* model. Results of the present study are in closer agreement with K-C* models’ predictions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albalawneh A, Chang T-K, Chou C-S, Naoum S (2016) Efficiency of a horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetland treatment system in an arid area. Water 8(2):51. https://doi.org/10.3390/w8020051
Ciria MP, Solano ML, Soriano P (2005) Role of macrophyte Typha latifolia in a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment and assessment of its potential as a biomass fuel. Biosyst Eng 92(4):535–544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2005.08.007
Cooper P (2009) What can we learn from old wetlands? Lessons that have been learned and some that may have been forgotten over the past 20 years. Desalination 246:11–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2008.03.040
Darajeh N, Idris A, Masoumi HRF, Nourani A, Truong P, Sairi NA (2016) Effluent in floating wetland by Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) using response surface methodology. J Environ Manag 181:343–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.06.060
Datta R, Das P, Smith S, Punamiya P, Ramanathan DM, Reddy R, Sarkar D (2013) Phytoremediation potential of vetiver grass [Chrysopogon zizanioides (L)] for tetracycline. Int J Phytoremediation 15(4):343–351. https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2012.702803
DeLaune RD, Pezeshki SR (2001) Plant functions in wetland and aquatic systems: influence of intensity and capacity of soil reduction. Sci World 1:636–649. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2001.257
Dong C, Huang Y-H, Wang S-C, Wang X-H (2016) Oxygen supply and wastewater treatment in subsurface-flow constructed wetland mesocosm: role of plant presence. Pol J Environ Stud 25(2):573–579. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/61008
Frazer-Williams R (2011) A review of the influence of design parameters on the performance of constructed wetlands. J Chem Eng 25:29–42. https://doi.org/10.3329/jce.v25i0.7237
Garcıia J, Aguirre P, Mujeriego R, Huang Y, Ortiz L, Bayona JM (2004) Initial contaminant removal performance factors in horizontal flow reed beds used for treating urban wastewater. Water Res 38:1669–1678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2004.01.011
Haiming W, Zhang J, Ngo HH, Guo W, Zhen H, Liang S, Fan J, Liu H (2015) A review on the sustainability of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment: design and operation. Biores Technol 175:594–601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.10.068
Josimov-Dundjerski J, Savic R, Belic A, Salvai A, Grabic J (2015) Sustainability of the constructed wetland based on the characteristics in effluent. Soil Water Res 10(2):114–120. https://doi.org/10.17221/133/2014-swr
Kadlec RH (2000) The inadequacy of first-order treatment wetland models. Ecol Eng 15:105–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0925-8574(99)00039-7
Kadlec RH, Knight RL (1996) Treatment wetlands. CRC Lewis, Boca Roton, p 893
Krasnits E, Friedlera E, Sabbahb I, Beliavski M, Tarrea S, Green M (2009) Spatial distribution of major microbial groups in a well established constructed wetland treating municipal wastewater. Ecol Eng 35:1085–1089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2009.03
Leverenza HL, Haunschildb K, Hopesa G, Tchobanoglousa G, Darbya JL (2010) Anoxic treatment wetlands for denitrification. Ecol Eng 36:1544–1551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.03.014
Li J, Wen Y, Zhou Q, Xingjie Z, Li X, Yang S, Lin T (2008) Influence of vegetation and substrate on the removal and transformation of dissolved organic matter in horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands. Biores Technol 99:4990–4996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2007.09.012
Li H, Chi Z, Yan B, Cheng L, Li J (2017) An innovative wood-chip-framework substrate used as slow-release carbon source to treat high-strength nitrogen wastewater. J Environ Sci 51:275–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2016.07.008
Maine MA, Suñe N, Hadad H, Sanchez G, Bonetto C (2006) Nutrient and metal removal in a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment from a metallurgic industry. Ecol Eng 26:341–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2005.12.004
Mesquita C, Albuquerque A, Amaral L, Nogueira R (2018) Effectiveness and temporal variation of a full-scale horizontal constructed wetland in reducing nitrogen and phosphorus from domestic wastewater. Chemengineering 2(3):1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/chemengineering2010003
Picard CR, Fraser LH, Steer D (2005) The interacting effects of temperature and plant community type on nutrient removal in wetland microcosms. Biores Technol 96:1039–1047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2004.09.007
Roongtanakiat N, Akharawutchayanon T (2017) Evaluation of vetiver grass for radiocesium absorption ability. Agric Nat Resour 51:173–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anres.2017.01.002
Rousseau Diederik PL, Vanrolleghem PA, De Pauw N (2004) Model-based design of horizontal subsurface flow constructed treatment wetlands: a review. Water Res 38:1484–1493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2003.12.013
Sarafraz S, Mohammad TA, Megat J, Noor MM, Liaghat A (2009) Wastewater treatment using horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland. Am J Environ Sci 5(1):99–105. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajes.2009.99.105
Schierano MC, Panigatti MC, Maine MA (2018) Horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands for tertiary treatment of dairy wastewater. Int J Phytorem 20(9):895–900. https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2018.1438361
Shelef O, Gross A, Rachmilevitch S (2013) Role of plants in a constructed wetland: current and new perspectives. Water 5:405–419. https://doi.org/10.3390/w5020405
Vymazal J (2002) The use of sub-surface constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in the Czech Republic: 10 years experience. Ecol Eng 18(5):633–646. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0925-8574(02)00025-3
Vymazal J (2005) Horizontal sub-surface flow and hybrid constructed wetlands systems for wastewater treatment. Ecol Eng 25(5):478–490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2005.07.010
Vymazal J (2007) Removal of nutrients in various types of constructed wetlands. Sci Total Environ 380:48–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.09.014
Vymazal J (2011) Plants used in constructed wetlands with horizontal subsurface flow: a review. Hydrobiologia 674:133–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0738-9
Vymazal J, Kropfelova L (2009) Removal of organics in constructed wetlands with horizontal sub-surface flow: A review of the field experience. Sci Total Environ 407:3911–3922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.08.032
Vymazal J, Kropfelova L (2011) A three-stage experimental constructed wetland for treatment of domestic sewage: first 2 years of operation. Ecol Eng 37:90–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.03.004
Zidan ARA, El-Gamal MM, Rashed AA, El-Hady Eid MAA (2015) Wastewater treatment in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands using different media (setup stage). Water Sci 29:26–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsj.2015.02.003
Acknowledgements
The author expresses his gratitude to Bharat Electronic Ltd and staff of Environmental Engineering Department for providing the facility and continuous support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
Corresponding author hereby declares that there is no conflict of interest between authors.
Additional information
Editorial responsibility: M. Abbaspour.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shashibhushana, H.S., Lokeshappa, B. Pollutant removal potential of single-size root zone media using Vetiveria zizanioides as emergent macrophyte and its validation. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 16, 7911–7920 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-018-2149-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-018-2149-1