Experimental study on removal of toxic metals and nutrient salts from secondary treated wastewater using Echinochloa pyramidalis and Ludwigia stolonifera

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Authors

1 Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt.

2 Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt.

3 Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Abstract

The reuse of treated wastewater, in particular for irrigation, is an increasingly common practice, encouraged by governments and official entities worldwide. Constructed wetlands have become known systems that use many plants varieties to withdraw pollutants from the nature. The present research goal is to examine the using of Echinochloa pyramidalis and Ludwigia stolonifera to extract toxic metals and nutrients from wastewater. The plants were used each individually and together for 10 days to remove toxic metals and nutrients from wastewater with different concentrations. Higher removal efficiency of Lead (95.77 %) at concentration of 10 mg/l was obtained when they planted together than that of planted individually, while a removal efficiency of Nickel (49.40 %) at treatment of 20 mg/l was obtained by planted L. stolonifera alone and removal efficiency of Cadmium (75.47 %) at 20 mg/l. was obtained by planted E. pyramidalis alone. A positive correlation was noticed between the time of detention and removal of toxic metals, and negative and significant correlation factors for toxic metals corresponding to the detention period were confirmed. Excepting Lead, L. stolonifera showed greater absorption capacity than E. pyramidalis for all studied toxic metals and L. stolonifera achieved the maximum removal efficiency of 56.52% and 43.93%, for (NO2-N) and (NO3-N) respectively while, E. pyramidalis scored the maximum removal efficiency of 49.84% and 41.26%, for (PO4-P) and (TP) respectively. It is concluded that both studied plants can be used to remove toxic metals and nutrients from wastewater.

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