Treatment performance of artificial floating reed beds in an experimental mesocosm to improve the water quality of river Kshipra

Abstract

The discharge of untreated wastewater in River Kshipra had brought annual average of BOD, TKN and TS levels up to 39 mg/l, 38 mg/l and 781 mg/l respectively in the study area. Treatment performance by Artificial Floating Reed Beds (AFRB) was evaluated for removal efficiency of TS, NH4-N, NO3-N, TKN and BOD from river water, initially, under a pilot scale by an AFRB of size 200 m2 planted with local reed grass, Phragmites karka, in the part of River Kshipra at the confluence with meeting point of a wastewater stream. The system performance was recorded as 43% reduction in TS, 38% reduction in TKN and 39% BOD reduction. The experimental AFRBs were buoyant structure planted with reed grass, each unit had a rectangular size and covered an effective surface area of 2 m2. The experiment with the mesocosms with treatment of River water resulted that AFRB was reducing pollution load by 55–60% of TS, 45–55% of NH4-N, 33–45% of NO3-N, 45–50% of TKN and 40–50% of BOD. AFRB may be recommended as an in-situ, eco-friendly river water treatment structures for small shallow, slow flowing (or slightly stagnant) water bodies.