Designing and testing of wastewater in constructed wetland using Phragmites karka

Constructed wetlands are cost effective in the wastewater treatment. The wetland technology is highly applicable in Asian countries. It is worked on various types of aquatic weeds or macrophytes. Phragmites karka is an emergent aquatic weed. It is promising emergent macrophytes for sustainable use in wastewater treatment due to its rapid growth. The present paper describes the use of Phragmites karka for wastewater (sewage) treatment using horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland. The wastewater was treated with Phragmites karka using phytoremediation or rootzone bed technology. The physico-chemical parameters both before treatment and after treatment were analyzed and assessed for pollution load reduction. It is observed that wastewater was dark blackish, obnoxious and found highly offensive odour in before treatment but after treatment with Phragmites karka in constructed wetland, it was found clear and odorless. TS concentration was reduced by 61.64%, TDS by 60.37%, TSS by 63.19%, Hardness by 57.15%, Nitrate by 94.69%, Phosphate by 92.95%, BOD by 61.47% and COD was reduced by 64.74% after 96 hours of Hydraulic Residence Time. The results reveal that root zone technology is useful for treatment of wastewater so that the surface and ground water pollution load can be reduced.