Removal effects of aquatic plants on high-concentration phosphorus in wastewater during summer

Jinfeng Li; Yihong Wang; Jianwei Cui; Wei Wang; Xiaojing Liu; Yajun Chang; Dongrui Yao; Jian Cui

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116434

Removal effects of aquatic plants on high-concentration phosphorus in wastewater during summer

J Environ Manage. 2022 Dec 15:324:116434. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116434. Epub 2022 Oct 10.

Authors

Jinfeng Li¹, Yihong Wang², Jianwei Cui¹, Wei Wang¹, Xiaojing Liu¹, Yajun Chang¹, Dongrui Yao³, Jian Cui⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Plant Resources and Water Environment Remediation, Nanjing, 210014, China.
² Jiangsu Province Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210017, China.
³ Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Plant Resources and Water Environment Remediation, Nanjing, 210014, China. Electronic address: shuishengzu@126.com.
⁴ Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Plant Resources and Water Environment Remediation, Nanjing, 210014, China. Electronic address: jcui@cnbg.net.

PMID: 36352733
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116434

Abstract

Aquatic plants are widely used in depth treatment of wastewater; however, the phosphorus (P) removal mechanisms of aquatic plants at high temperatures in summer are not well understood. Eight aquatic plants, including two floating species (Ludwigia peploides and Hydrocharis dubia) and six emergent species (Lythrum salicaria, Sagittaria sagittifolia, Canna indica, Sparganium stoloniferum, Rotala rotundifolia, and Ludwigia ovalis), were treated with five P solutions (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.5 mg L^-1) for 5 weeks in a greenhouse during summer at air temperatures ranging from 25 to 35 °C. H. dubia, L. peploides, L. salicaria, and S. sagittifolia showed high water P removal efficiencies (exceeded 95%). Furthermore, their corresponding residual P concentrations in water were almost lower than the limit value of 0.2 mg L^-1 of Grade III in the Chinese Environmental Quality Atandards for Surface Water (GB3838-2002). Plants have different water P removal paths. For example, H. dubia enriched more P with water P concentration increasing significantly. As the culture time increased, the water pH fluctuated significantly in the fall, and then H. dubia used the produced H⁺ enrich P. L. peploides did not enrich P, but proliferated rapidly, to remove P from water by increasing its fresh weight (FW). L. salicaria and S. sagittifolia showed two paths of enrich-P and FW increase. During the growth process of L. salicaria, the stem diameter and leaf length increased with an increase in P concentration in water or plant or both; however, the height and root length of L. peploides were reduced. Moreover, SOD and CAT activities responded to high P concentrations in water or high temperatures or both, which protected against oxidative damage. These findings could offer theoretical foundation and practical guidance for selection of aquatic plant species in depth treatment of wastewater during summer.

Keywords: Aquatic plants; Phosphorus; Physiological response; Removal efficiency; Removal mechanism.

MeSH terms

Hydrocharitaceae*
Phosphorus*
Plants
Wastewater
Water

Substances

Phosphorus
Waste Water
Water