Application of constructed floating wetlands (CFWs) to treat textile effluent

Abstract

Lab-scale constructed floating wetlands (CFWs) using Vetiveria zizanioides and Heliconia psittacorum in a batch mode system was studied to treat textile effluent. The CFW unit (size of 1.8 m x 0.6 m (LxW)) was made with palm fiber media wrapped in the fish net and tied to the PVC pipe frame. Two CFW units were each planted with V. zizanioides, and H. psittacorum, and one CFW unit was without plants as control treatment. Then all CFW units were placed in each microfiber cell with dimensions of 2 m x 0.98 m x 0.60 m (LxWxH). The performance of CFWs was examined for about 21 days with 20 and 50% textile effluent. V. zizanioides and H. psittacorum for both 20% and 50% textile effluent showed good performance in removing ammonia with removal efficiency (RE) ranging from 60 - 80%. Reasonable RE was observed for TN but not for TP and phosphate. The study suggests that both V. zizanioides and H. psittacorum could be potential plants used in the CFW system to treat textile effluent.