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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