Reeds and Reedmace Bioreactor Technique in Wastewater Heavy Metals Treatment, Rhizofiltration

Ramadan Aishah Mohamed; Mohamed Ali Elssaidi; Fatima Ali Ateya

doi:10.59743/jmset.v7i2.15

Authors

Ramadan Aishah Mohamed Environmental Science Department, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Sebha University, Libya.
Mohamed Ali Elssaidi Environmental Science Department, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Sebha University, Libya.
Fatima Ali Ateya Libyan Center for Studies and Research in Environmental Science and Technology, Brack, Libya.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59743/jmset.v7i2.15

Keywords:

Bioreactor, Heavy Metal, Reed, Reedmace, Rhizofiltration, Wastewater

Abstract

Direct usage of plants to decrease pollution in groundwater and surface water, has gained popularity in both academic and applied fields. Phytoremediation is a low-cost technique and environmentally beneficial technology; heavy metals are absorbed via aquatic plants also usage aqua plants as fertilizer since Phragmites australis have the capability to regrow when harvesting. This would allow heavy metals to be removed from waterways over multiple growing seasons; there was a significant difference in the concentration of copper between reeds bioreactors before and after treatment. The concentration of Cu decreased from 4.00 to 0.0087 mg/L. The lower concentration of Cu values at end of the experiment might be due absorption of heavy metals from the contaminated media. The concentration of Zn was also lower than before planting having the lower concentration (0.0868 mg/L) in the fifth hydroponic. Reed has a high ability to reduce zinc concentration. The concentrations of Co and Cd decreased from 0.400 to 0.043 mg/L. As shown in the results, the levels of concentration of Cd in the reeds bioreactor were decreased. Also, the concentration of Mn decreased from 20 to 0.0219 mg/L. Moreover, Reedmace has the capacity to clean up contaminated water. The values of Cu concentration decreased from 4.00 to 0.0477 mg/L during the entire growth period. Zn from 20 to 0.1685 mg/L. Also, the concentrations of Co and Cd decreased from 0.400 to 0.043 mg/L. The concentration of Mn decreased from 20 to 0.0133 mg/L. The efficiency of reeds bioreactor for heavy metals removal in the following sequence: Mn (99.89%) > Cu (99.78%) > Zn (99.65%) > Co (89.2%) > Cd (86.08%). On the other hand, the sequence of removal efficiency of the Reedmace bioreactor was in the following sequence: Mn (99.93%) > Zn (99.15%) > Cu (98.81%) > Mn (89.25%) > Cd (88.40%).

References

Ahmed M.B., Zhou J.L., Ngo H.H., Guo W., Thomaidis N.S., & Xu, J. (2017). Progress in the biological and chemical treatment technologies for emerging contaminant removal from wastewater: A critical review. J. Hazard Mater., 323: 274–298.

Aishah R.M. & Elssaidi M.A. (2019). Using Pollution Indices to Assess Heavy Metals Contaminated Soil in some Libyan Regions.‏ Libyan Journal of Ecological & Environmental Science and Technology (LJEEST), 1(1): 38-49.

Aishah R.M., Shamshuddin J., Fauziah C.I., Arifin A., & Panhwar Q.A. (2019). Using Plant Species for Phytoremediation of Highly Weathered Soils Contaminated with Zinc and Copper with Application of Sewage Sludge. Bio Resources, 14(4): 8701-8727.‏

Aishah R.M., Shamshuddin J., Fauziah C.I., Arifin A., & Panhwar Q.A. (2018). Adsorption-desorption characteristics of zinc and copper in oxisol and ultisol amended with sewage sludge. Journal of The Chemical Society of Pakistan, 40(5): 842-842.‏

Aishah R.M., Shamshuddin J., Fauziah C.I., Arifin A., & Panhwar Q.A. (2016). Phytoremediation of Copper and Zinc in Sewage Sludge Amended Soils Using Jatropha curcas and Hibiscus cannabinus. Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan, 38(6).‏

Ali N.A., Bernal M.P., & Ater M. (2002). Tolerance and bioaccumulation of copper in Phragmites australis and Zea mays. Plant and Soil, 239(1): 103-111.‏

Ali S., Abbas Z., Rizwan M., Zaheer I.E., Yavaş İ., Ünay A., Abdel-Daim M.M., Bin-Jumah M.,Hassanuzzman M, & Kalderis D. (2020). Application of floating aquatic plants in phytoremediation of heavy metals polluted water: A review. Sustainability, 12(5): 1927.

Bouchama K., Rouabhi R., & Djebar M. R. (2016). Behavior of Phragmites australis (CAV.) Trin. Ex Steud used in phytoremediation of wastewater contaminated by cadmium. Desalination and Water Treatment, 57(12): 5325-5330.

Chandra R. & Yadav S. (2011). Phytoremediation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn from aqueous solution using phragmites cummunis, typha angustifolia and cyperus esculentus. International Journal of Phytoremediation, 13(6): 580-591.‏

Dordio A.V., Duarte C., Barreiros M., Carvalho A.P., Pinto A.P., & da Costa C.T. (2009). Toxicity and removal efficiency of pharmaceutical metabolite clofibric acid by Typha spp.–potential use for phytoremediation. Bioresource technology, 100(3): 1156-1161.‏

Eid E.M., Shaltout K.H., El-Sheikh M.A., & Asaeda T. (2012). Seasonal courses of nutrients and heavy metals in water, sediment and above-and below-ground Typha domingensis biomass in Lake Burullus (Egypt): perspectives for phytoremediation. Flora-Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 207(11): 783-794.‏

Federation W.E., & APH Association (2005). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. American Public Health Association (APHA): Washington, DC, USA.‏

Grisey E., Laffray X., Contoz O., Cavalli E., Mudry J., & Aleya L. (2012). The bioaccumulation performance of reeds and cattails in a constructed treatment wetland for removal of heavy metals in landfill leachate treatment (Etueffont, France). Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 223(4): 1723-1741.‏

Hoagland D.R. & Arnon D.I. (1941). Physiological aspects of availability of nutrients for plant growth. Soil Science, 51(6): 431-444.‏

Mal T.K. & Narine L. (2004). The biology of Canadian weeds. 129. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 84(1): 365-396.‏

Mustafa G., Tahir H., Sultan M., & Akhtar N. (2013). Synthesis and characterization of cupric oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and their application for the removal of dyes. African Journal of Biotechnology, 12(47): 6650-6660.‏

Peltier E.F., Webb S.M., & Gaillard J.F. (2003). Zinc and lead sequestration in an impacted wetland system. Advances in Environmental Research, 8(1): 103-112.‏

Qdais H.A. & Moussa H. (2004). Removal of heavy metals from wastewater by membrane processes: a comparative study. Desalination, 164(2): 105-110.

Reeves R.D., Baker A.J., Jaffré T., Erskine P.D., Echevarria G., & van der Ent A. (2018). A global database for plants that hyperaccumulate metal and metalloid trace elements. New Phytologist, 218(2): 407-411.

Rzymski P., Niedzielski P., Klimaszyk P., & Poniedziałek B. (2014). Bioaccumulation of selected metals in bivalves (Unionidae) and Phragmites australis inhabiting a municipal water reservoir. Environmental monitoring and assessment, 186(5): 3199-3212.‏

Srivastava M., Ma L.Q., Singh N., & Singh S. (2005). Antioxidant responses of hyper-accumulator and sensitive fern species to arsenic. Journal of Experimental Botany, 56(415): 1335-1342.‏

Volesky B. (2000). Detoxification of metal-bearing effluents: biosorption for the next century. Hydrometallurgy, 59: 203–216.

Windham L., Weis J.S., & Weis P. (2001). Patterns and processes of mercury release from leaves of two dominant salt marsh macrophytes Phragmites australis and Spartina alterniflora. Estuaries, 24(6A):787–795.