A Short-Term Model Experiment of Organic Pollutants Treatment with Aquatic Macrophytes in Industrial and Municipal Waste Waters

Abstract

Ability of plants to degrade waste water pollutants was studied in model experiment. The following aquatic macrophytes were used: Eichhornia crassipes, Cyperus alternifolius, Elodea densa and a mix of plants. Industrial and municipal waste water diluted by tap water to content 10% and 20% were used as a growth media for plants. Concentration of TOC, TN, chlorides and sulfates was measured in water during 7 days of incubation. The best results were obtained for Eichhornia crassipes which was able to decrease TOC and TN in water in 3 days of incubation: for TOC (in mg/l) from 47 to 24 (20% industrial waste water) and from 25 to 10 (20% municipal waste water); for TN (in mg/l) from 5,6 to 1,2 (20% industrial waste water) and from 2,5 to 0,35 (20% municipal waste water). Other plants also demonstrated improvement of water quality but were less effective. Concentration of chlorides remained close to initial level. Concentration of sulfates in several cases increased due to oxidation of sulfides.