Treatment of Balili River in Benguet, Philippines with constructed wetland planted with dominant local macrophytes

Abstract

© 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Phytoremediation using local macrophytes was explored in Balili River, Philippines. The macrophytes used were Amaranthus spinosus, Eichhornia crassipes, Eleusine indica and Pennisetum purpureum planted in pilot-scale constructed wetlands and subjected to varying hydraulic retention time (HRT) treatments. Results showed that these macrophytes have high phytoremediation performance in almost all water quality parameters. Also, HRT significantly affected the pollution reduction efficiency of the macrophytes. Significant pollution reduction was observed as early as HRT 1 day, but the optimal HRT for all the macrophytes was 3–4 days. At optimal HRT, the pollution reduction efficiency of the four macrophytes ranged from 96% to 99.9% for TSS, 87% to 95% for BOD, 85% to 99% for NO3, 85% to 96% for PO4 and 99.9% for total and fecal coliform. Also, Hg and Pb were significantly reduced. Results of TSS, DO and NO3 passed the water quality standard, while BOD and PO4 were slightly above. But total and fecal coliform, amidst the high reduction rate, was still not within the permissible level for Class A water. Among the macrophytes, P. purpureum generally have the best pollution reduction efficiency. Our study revealed comparable or even better pollution reduction efficiency of local macrophytes than commonly used ones such as Phragmites spp. and Typha spp.

Source or Periodical Title

International Journal of Phytoremediation

ISSN

15226514

Page

1463-1473

Document Type

Article

Subject

aquatic macrophytes, Balili River, constructed wetland, hydraulic retention time, Phytoremediation

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