Journal Article

Constructed wetland microcosms as sustainable technology for domestic wastewater treatment: an overview

Kumar, Saroj, Dutta, Venkatesh

2019

Overview

Constructed wetland microcosms (CWMs) are artificially designed ecosystem which utilizes both complex and ordinary interactions between supporting media, macrophytes, and microorganisms to treat almost all types of wastewater. CWMs are considered as green and sustainable techniques which require lower energy input, less operational and maintenance cost and provide critical ecological benefits such as wildlife habitat, aquaculture, groundwater recharge, flood control, recreational uses, and add aesthetic value. They are good alternatives to conventional treatment systems particularly for smaller communities as well as distant and decentralized locations. The pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and temperature are the key controlling factors while several other parameters such as hydraulic loading rates (HLR), hydraulic retention time (HRT), diversity of macrophytes, supporting media, and water depth are critical to achieving better performance. From the literature survey, it is evaluated that the removal performance of CWMs can be improved significantly through recirculation of effluent and artificial aeration (intermittent). This review paper presents an assessment of CWMs as a sustainable option for treatment of wastewater nutrients, organics, and heavy metals from domestic wastewater. Initially, a concise note on the CWMs and their components are presented, followed by a description of treatment mechanisms, major constituents involved in the treatment process, and overall efficiency. Finally, the effects of ecological factors and challenges for their long-term operations are highlighted.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Aeration / aesthetic value / Aquaculture / Aquatic plants / Aquatic Pollution / Artificial aeration / Artificial wetlands / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Clean technology / constructed wetlands / Dissolved oxygen / Domestic wastewater / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecological effects / ecosystems / Ecotoxicology / energy / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental science / Flood control / Groundwater recharge / Heavy metals / Hydraulic loading / Hydraulic retention time / Macrophytes / Maintenance costs / Microcosms / Microorganisms / municipal wastewater / Nutrients / oxygen / Recreational use / Retention time / Review Article / sewage treatment / surveys / Sustainability / sustainable technology / temperature / Waste Water Technology / Wastewater treatment / Water depth / Water Management / Water Pollution Control / Wetlands / Wildlife habitats