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Floating treatment wetlands as a suitable option for large-scale wastewater treatment

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Afzal

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

  • Muhammad Arslan

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
    Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ
    RWTH Aachen University)

  • Jochen A. Müller

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ)

  • Ghulam Shabir

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

  • Ejazul Islam

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

  • Razia Tahseen

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

  • Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

  • Amer J. Hashmat

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

  • Samina Iqbal

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

  • Qaiser M. Khan

    (National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering)

Abstract

In many developing countries, there are limited or insufficient wastewater treatment infrastructures. Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) can be a cost-effective phytoremediation approach to treat various types of wastewater. The buoyancy of the FTWs is due to air-filled rhizomes and entrapment of gas bubbles by the interwoven roots, which can be supported further by rafts. The performance of full-scale systems for treating genuine wastewater is largely unknown because studies so far have been experimental. Here, we installed full-scale FTWs in stabilization ponds receiving sewage (60%) and industrial (40%) wastewater from Faisalabad, Pakistan, and evaluated their treatment performance over a period of three years. The FTWs promoted a substantial improvement of all recorded water quality indicators and a reduction of heavy metal concentrations in the effluent compared to the influent. The maximum removal capacities of the system were 79% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 88% of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and 65% of total dissolved solids (TDS). The performance was optimal in the second and third years of operation during which about 60 million m3 per year of wastewater was treated at a cost of US$0.00026 per m3. This study demonstrates that FTWs are an appropriate ecotechnology for the large-scale cleanup of sewage and industrial wastewater.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Afzal & Muhammad Arslan & Jochen A. Müller & Ghulam Shabir & Ejazul Islam & Razia Tahseen & Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq & Amer J. Hashmat & Samina Iqbal & Qaiser M. Khan, 2019. "Floating treatment wetlands as a suitable option for large-scale wastewater treatment," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(9), pages 863-871, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:2:y:2019:i:9:d:10.1038_s41893-019-0350-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0350-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Arslan & Muhammad Afzal & Naser A. Anjum, 2022. "Constructed and Floating Wetlands for Sustainable Water Reclamation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-4, January.

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