The Efficiency of Phragmites australis in Wastewater Pretreatment

Abstract

The Efficiency (adequacy) of Phragmites australis grown in Wadi Al-Kharazi duct for comprehending contaminants and purifying sewage water has been illuminated.This duct is about 15 km long with maximum discharge limits approaching 72 m3.s-1, while it's catchments area approximates 11.64 km2. The duct receive rain water engulfing what's in it's way of particles and impurities from soil surface, besides sanitary , municipal agricultural waste water in addition to solid wastes.Two locations had been chosen 2 km away from each other of about 2 km apart ere chosen within the university campus. Results showed high difference in elements concentration in water and plant between the two sites obviously and significantly, where percentage of organic load removal was 33.3% in summer and 33.6% in winter, as well as a decline in nutrients amounts was so clear with removal percentage of about 71% for PO4 and 68.5% for NO3.This study also certifies the high ability of Phragmites to uptake heavy metals from water, the recorded concentration of cadmium in Phragmites leaves was 0.085 mg/L in the upper stream site and rose up to 0.162 mg/L in the down stream site , while copper concentration reached 0.088 mg/L in site 2 where it was only 0.064 mg/L in site 1, as for lead no susceptible amount encountered within plant tissues in site 1 but in site 2 lead concentration was 0.013 mg/L .The mechanism of holding elements by plant tissues depend on many things apriority for temperature where it is in the top of the list as a consequence of it's high impact upon plant physiological actions which reflected by itself on metabolism and elements removal