Developing a Pilot Scale Angular Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland for Treatment of Sewage through Phytoremediation with Colocasia esculenta

Phytoremediation is the technique based on the use of plants to remediate sites contaminated with organic and inorganic pollutants. This technology is rapidly growing as is helpful to growing industries. Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant grown primarily for its edible corm and the root vegetables. It has many names like Taro and Eddoe. It is a wide spread emergent aquatic plant, generally grows near bogs, streams, river pools and many shallow aquatic bodies. This plant is useful for wastewater treatment by its plant-root–rhizome system. In the present study, Colocasia esculenta is used for the treatment of sewage to test its pollutant absorption capacity. The studies aim at developing and assessing sewage treatment efficiency through a Angular Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed wetland pilot scale plant for treatment of sewage for sewage treatment process of Solapur city to recycle and reuse. The treated and untreated samples of sewage with different dilutions viz. 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%,70%, 80%, 90% and 100% were tested and compared with a blank (without Colocasia esculenta) as a control. The results reveal that the average reduction in EC was by 23.68%, TSS by 46.15%, TDS by 50.08%, TS by 49.34%, BOD by 54.30%, COD by 58.69%, NO3 by 59.48%, PO4 by 46.99% and SO4 by 39.32% against treatment of sewage in the control bed in which EC was reduced by 11.62%, TSS by 27.90%, TDS by 32.66%, TS by 29.94%, BOD by 31.26%, COD by 39.81%, NO3 by 23.93, PO4 by 20.89 and SO4 by 16.48% respectively. The soil samples were analyzed at before use and after use in the constructed wetland as bedding media. Considerable reduction in pollutants using Colocasia esculenta plant bed was noticed against the bed treatment without Colocasia esculenta plant. It is concluded that Colocasia esculenta is capable for the treatment of sewage.