Application of patent bio-rack wetland system using Phragmites sp. for domestic wastewater treatment in the presence of high total dissolved solids (TDS) and heavy metal salts.

The quality of water recourses is degrading due to improper wastewater management. The aim of this study is to examine the potential of bio-rack system for treatment of domestic wastewater in the presence of high total dissolved solids (TDS) and heavy metal salts. The bio-rack is a modified wetland system incorporated with the advantages of phytoremediation and attached growth microbial process. The bio-rack is void of the soil strata based root zone system and in lieu a support matrix is provided to enrich the micro flora. The studies indicate that, Phragmites sp. can tolerate TDS up to 9000 mg/L in the bio-rack. The heavy metal removal is a function of phytoaccumulation or phytoextraction, which can lead to morphological deformity if heavy metals exceed the saturation limit of 786 and 5760 mg/kg Cd, 854 and 9280 mg/kg Cu, 639 and 4720 mg/kg Ni, 1187 and 7516 mg/kg Zn, in shoots and roots respectively. The reduction in TDS is marginal (14%) at the highest tolerable limit whereas the heavy metal reduction is 68%, 69%, 67%, 71% for Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn respectively at the outlet of the treatment system. The sewage treatment performance of the bio-rack system for all other parameters is estimated as 75 % Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), 86 % Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), 27% Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), 73% Total Suspended Solids (TSS), 9% chlorides, 70% ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), 32% phosphate (PO4-P), 92% most probable number (MPN) and 93% total viable count (TVC) reduction.