Abstract
The high costs involved in treating wastewater are problems that developing countries confront, mainly in rural areas. Therefore, Constructed Wetlands (CWs), which are composed of substrate, vegetation, and microorganisms, are an economically and ecologically viable option for wastewater treatment in these places. There is a wide variety of possibilities for substrates and ornamental plants that have not yet been evaluated to be implemented in future CW designs. The goal of this study was to evaluate the process of adaptation and removal of wastewater pollutants in CW microcosms using different terrestrial ornamental plants (Lavandula sp., Spathiphyllum wallisii, and Zantedeschia aethiopica). Those plants were sown in two types of substrate: red volcanic gravel (RVG) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). CWs with vegetation reduced 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) by 68% with RVG substrate and 63% with PET substrate, nitrates 50% in RVG substrate and 35% in PET substrate, phosphates 38% in RVG substrate and 35% in PET substrate, and fecal coliforms 64% in RVG and 59% in PET substrate). In control microcosms without vegetation, reductions were significantly lower than those in the presence of plants, with reduction of BOD5 by 61% in RVG substrate and 55% in PET substrate, nitrates 26% in RVG substrate and 22% in PET substrate, phosphates 27% in RVG substrate and 25% in PET substrate. Concerning fecal coliforms 62% were removed in RVG substrate and 59% in PET substrate. Regarding the production of flowers, Lavandula sp. did not manage to adapt and died 45 days after sowing and did not produce flowers. Spathiphyllum wallisii produced 12 flowers in RVG and nine flowers in PET, while Zantedeschia aethiopica produced 10 in RVG and 7 in PET. These results showed that the use of substrates made of RVG and PET is a viable alternative to be implemented in CWs. In addition, the reuse of PET is an option that decreases pollution by garbage. The plants Spathiphyllum wallisii and Zantedeschia aethiopica remarkably contribute in the removal of pollutants in wastewater. Additionally, the use of ornamental plants, with commercial interest such as those evaluated, enables an added value to the CW to be given, which can be used for flower production purposes on a larger scale and favor its acceptance within rural communities.
Highlights
Water pollution is a problem all over the world [1]
The main findings of this study reveal that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste as a means of support in constructed wetlands (CWs) favored the removal of contaminants and the proper development of plants, being an innovation in use of this material as a substrate
The use of RVG showed favorable results with respect to the reduction of pollutants. The use of these substrates combined with others of stone origin could be considered in future studies in order to have a complete overview of their removal efficiency and for the development of plants, both at the microcosm and macrocosm levels, as well as in studies of different plant species that can be adapted to these systems using PET as a support medium
Summary
Water pollution is a problem all over the world [1]. The United Nations World Water Development Report estimates that 80% of wastewater (more than 95% in some developing countries) in the world is discharged without any previous treatment into the main rivers of Africa, Asia, and Latin America [2]. CWs are ecotechnologies for the treatment of waters that imitate the functions of a natural wetland These wetlands develop physical, chemical, and biological processes that allow the pollutants from wastewater to be removed without energy costs and with little maintenance. Other species are Canna hybrids, which have been used in domestic waste water [20], Iris sibirica, used in waters produced by the pharmaceutical industry [21], Iris pseudacorus, Eichornia crassipes, Tulbaghia violacea, and Cyperus papyrus, used in domestic wastewater [22], as well as the genus Zingiberales, Heliconiasceae and cannaceae, used in raw wastewater [23] Most of these studies are focused on the removal of pollutants, the growth and health of plants and, to a lesser extent, the production of flowers. According to Sandoval-Herazo et al, [7], using ornamental plants in CW, mainly in tropical areas, is a technique that may contribute to the generation of economic benefits, to improve the visual quality of the landscape and to foster communities to adopt this ecotechnology
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