Sewage Treatment through Constructed Wetland System Tailed by Nanocomposite Clay Filter: A Clean Green Initiative

Abstract

Sewage treatment through constructed wetland is an ecofriendly and sustainable approach proven effective worldwide. Constructed wetland with appropriate species is capable of eliminating all pollutants in sewage, except pathogen removal. An additional polishing treatment is required to eliminate pathogen. Optimization of HLR in CWS was executed by applying first order kinetics. Nanocomposite clay filter with economically viable materials was synthesized and disinfection ability was evaluated. A novel approach integrating constructed wetland system tailed by nanocomposite clay filter was designed. Control was setup with constructed wetland system devoid of plants integrated with clay filter devoid of nanoparticles. The constructed wetland system devoid of plants was used as plants play a vital role in the removal of pollutants. The quality of the influent for (n=20) BOD, COD, TKN, TP, TSS, TDS, SO4, Cl, lead and iron were 248, 345, 26, 4.8, 350, 450, 50, 48, 0.2, 5 mg/L respectively. The quality of effluent in the control was 145, 225, 18, 3.8, 185, 345, 31, 30, 0.6, 2 mg/L for BOD,COD, TKN, TP, TSS, TDS, SO4, Cl, lead and iron respectively. While in the test, 10, 30, 2, 1, 30, 128, 13, 12, BDL, BDL mg/L for BOD, COD, TKN, TP,TSS, TDS, SO4, Cl, lead and iron respectively. The inlet concentration of T.C, F.C and E.coli were 42.1x106-6.3x108, 4.9x105-14.4x106 and 7.8x103-3.8x105 respectively. The pathogen reduction in log removal for test and control units were 5.4 and 1.1 for T.C, 4.4 and 1.2 for F.C and 3 and 1 for E.coli. Thus it is a clean green initiative combating the limitations of disinfection surpassing the existing barriers.