Industrial wastewater treatment by plant-based bio-filtration

• Published in: International journal of phytoremediation 2023-12, Vol.25 (14), p.1945-1955
• Main Authors: de Oliveira Demarco, Jessica, Hutchinson, Stacy L., Bastos, Leonardo M., Hettiarachchi, Ganga, Almutari, Mohammad, Nottingham, Emily
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artificial wetlands; Biofilms; Bioreactors; Constructed wetlands; Contaminants; Environmental impact; Filter media; flue gas desulfurization; Gravel; Industrial wastes; Industrial wastewater; Industrial wastewater treatment; Media; nutrient removal; phytoremediation; Plant species; Pollutant removal; substrate adsorption; Substrates; Wastewater treatment; Water treatment; Zeolites
• ISSN: 1522-6514; 1549-7879
• DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2023.2209191

Constructed wetlands (CWs) represent a natural wastewater treatment process, offering economic and environmental advantages. These systems can remove several components that may cause negative impacts on the environment. Media types and plant species are crucial influencing factors for the removal of contaminants in CWs. The goal of this study is to evaluate the capacity of a CW using Tamarix spp. with three filter media to treat FGD wastewater. Planted and unplanted CWs were set up with varying types of biofilm support media: 3 bioreactors were operated with 50% gravel and 50% zeolite (v/v), 3 with 100% gravel, and 3 with 50% gravel, 25% zeolite, and 25% silage. Planted CWs had the greatest potential to reduce the concentrations of B, K, and NH 4 + -N in 64.9%, 91.1%, and 92.5%, respectively, when used in addition to the filter composed by 50% gravel + 50% zeolite, which was the only media keeping the plants alive for 60 days. The results showed that the optimal selection of filter media depends on the purpose for which the treatment has been projected for, considering that the types of substrates influenced the nature of the contaminant removal in the CW. Salinity impact on Constructed wetlands (CWs) is still scarce in the literature. The novelty is the choice of a salt cedar (Tamarix spp.) combined with three filter media types ((1) gravel; (2) gravel and zeolite; (3) gravel, zeolite, and silage) to treat flue gas desulfurization wastewater in CWs. Our findings demonstrate that filter media containing 50% gravel + 50% zeolite can decrease the toxicity of contaminants from FGD wastewater in plants.