Treating eutrophic water for nutrient reduction using an aquatic macrophyte ( Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal) in a deep flow technique system

• Published in: Agricultural water management Vol. 95; no. 5; pp. 607 - 615
• Main Authors: Hu, M.H., Ao, Y.S., Yang, X.E., Li, T.Q.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.05.2008; Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier; Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Series: Agricultural Water Management
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Brassica; chemical constituents of plants; Deep flow technique; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment and pollution; Eutrophic water treatment; eutrophication; Exact sciences and technology; Fresh water environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hydroponics; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Ipomoea aquatica; Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal; macrophytes; Nitrogen and phosphorus removal; phytoremediation; plant growth; Plant quality; Pollution, environment geology; Soil and water pollution; Soil science; water pollution; water quality; water treatment; FAO; Plant quality; Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal; Eutrophic water treatment; Nitrogen and phosphorus removal; Deep flow technique; Biotechnology; Demineralization; Production quality; Water flow; Inorganic element; Convolvulaceae; System; Environmental engineering; nutrients; water treatment; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Water engineering; Aquatic plant; Biological treatment; Denitrogenation; phosphorus; Plant production; fresh-water environment; Edible species; eutrophication; nitrogen; Eutrophic water; utilization; Dephosphorization; surface water; Water pollution control; techniques; Water pollution; Spermatophyta; fresh water; Aquaculture; Deep level
• ISSN: 0378-3774; 1873-2283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2008.01.001

Wetlands can be used in a cost-effective manner to treat nutrient-rich water for release to freshwater ecosystems. Eutrophic water was treated with the freshwater macrophyte, Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal (swamp cabbage), in a horizontal-flow, Deep Flow Technique (DFT) system. Plants were also exposed to a Hoagland and Arnon [Hoagland, D.R., Arnon, D., l938. The water culture method for growing plants without soil. Calif. Agr. Expt. Sta. Circ., 347] solution using the same exposure system. After a 48-h exposure to the plant, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5), total suspended solids (TSS) and chlorophyll a (Chla) in the effluent were reduced by 84.5, 88.5, 91.1, and 68.8%, respectively, and the removal of nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus) varied between 41.5 and 75.5%. Vitamin C and NO 3-N concentrations in plants grown in the eutrophic water were significantly different from those grown in a standard nutrient solution. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll a/ b and shoot to root dry weight ratio were not significantly different between the different waters. The concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc were lower than the permissible levels set by the FAO and WHO for human consumption. The results of this study indicate that cultivating edible, aquatic macrophytes with nutrient-rich, eutrophic water in a DFT system can be an effective, low-cost phytoremediation technology to treat water with undesirable levels of nitrogen and/or phosphorus.