Abstract:
Industrial wastewater has high quantities of heavy metals emanating from industrial processes. These
heavy metals need to be removed before the wastewater is released to the environment. Constructed
wetlands are inexpensive and highly effective in removal of heavy metals from wastewater. This study
assessed the efficiency of different mixes of macrophytes Polygonum spp, Typha latifolia and Papyrus
cyperus (X,Y,Z) to remove zinc, lead and cadmium from municipal wastewater using constructed
wetlands. The model wetlands were wash basins with an outlet at the bottom. A total of 16 basins were
used, 12 of which were planted and 4 unplanted to act as control (4 treatments with 3 replicates).
Quarry dust (¼”) was used as the substrate in each basin. 12 plants (X,Y,Z) were planted in mixes of
1:1:1, 2:1:1, 1:2:1 and 1:1:2 respectively. Wastewater was collected from Thika municipal treatment
works and analyzed for Zinc, Lead and Cadmium using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer before
being introduced into the wetlands. Samples from the wetlands were collected after 4, 6 and 8 days for
analysis for several runs. Plant samples were harvested and concentration of heavy metals determined.
The results showed that treatment with more of Polygonum spp achieved highest removal for Zinc
(80.5%), treatment with more of papyrus achieved the highest removal for Lead (89.8%) while maximum
removal for Cadmium was achieved when the macrophytes were in equal ratios. The treatment with 6
Polygonm spp, 3 Typha spp and 3 Papyrus spp recorded relative high removal rates for all metals and
was recommended as the best mix. The analysis of the metals in the macrophytes indicated increasing
absorbance; Papyrus spp >Typha spp >Polygonum spp. The concentrations of the Zinc and Cadmium in
the effluent sewage were below the maximum allowable concentrations for discharge into the
environment. The constructed wetlands were therefore effective in reducing the heavy metals
concentrations from the raw sewage to tolerable levels.
