Choosing Aquatic Plant Species for High Wastewater Treatment Efficiency through Small Wetland

Abstract

The research was aimed to choose the most appropriate aquatic plant in high capacity as grown in small wetland for community wastewater treatment, they were Typha angustifolia Linn., Cyperus corymbosus Rottb., and Canna indica Linn. The small wetland, sometimes called vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCW), has been designated on 100-m long, 5-m wide and 0.75-m deep in size in which four-hole pipes were laid down at the bottom for releasing some treated wastewater as effluent through the outlet to the storage reservoir. There must be paved the gravel on the bottom up to the level of 5-cm height and overtopping with sand about 15 cm that be followed by 30-cm mixed soil (soil: sand equivalent to 3:1). All selected aquatic plant species were planted in small wetland before flowing community wastewater until soil at saturated level for first week and about 30 cm during second week up to the maximum age of plants. The choosing aquatic plant species were only depended on the high efficiency of wastewater treatment. The most probable aquatic plant was selected on Typha as the first priority for high wastewater treatment efficiency, Canna the second, and more or less efficiency for the others. Fortunately, Typha has been grown well in everywhere, particularly flat wetland in central, west, east and down north of Thailand.

Application of different aquatic plants in an alternated fill and drain wetland system of Phetchaburi municipal wastewater treatment in Thailand

“…Although the two species differed significantly in terms of their total biomass, the biomass production in aboveground and underground parts did not differ. Previous studies demonstrated that the biomass yields and relative growth rates of different species of emergent plants under flooding conditions are significantly different; for example, the biomass yield of Canna is greater than that of Typha or Cyperus (Phewnil et al 2014 ). Further, higher water level or deeper burial inhibited, and more biomass was allocated to leaves at the 40 cm water level.…”

“…Generally, household wastewater is contaminated with organic substances. The pollutants in municipal wastewater (MW) can be mainly characterized by the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 -N), and total phosphorus (TP) (Chunkao et al 2012 ; Phewnil et al 2014 ). Phetchaburi Municipality is in Phetchaburi Province, Thailand, around 150 km from Bangkok, Thailand.…”

Indigo dyeing wastewater treatment by eco-friendly constructed wetlands using different bedding media

“…Typha colonizes a large surface area and produces very high biomass yield [44]. C. indica is considered a phytoremediation plant, with a flourishing root system with higher root growth, higher root number, larger root biomass, and significantly larger root surface area than other plant species [45].…”

H.M. The King's Royally Initiated LERD Project on Community Wastewater Treatment through Small Wetlands and Oxidation Pond in Phetchaburi, Thailand

“…The indicated that average growth rate was more or less zero when their ages reached at about 90 days and 45 days for useful life of Typha and Cyperus, respectively. The aforesaid statement presented that Typha and Cyperus grew well in Phetchaburi municipal wastewater and also the maximum effective treatment in constructed wetland concept., although Typha was high evapotranspiration rate (Pedescoll et al, 2013;Phewnil et al, 2014) …”