title: Comparative treatment of dye-rich wastewater in engineered wetland systems (EWSs) vegetated with different plants.
abstract: In Dar es Salaam City there are more than a thousand tie-and-dye (TAD) small-scale industries (SSIs) that discharge dye-rich wastewater indiscriminately with resultant water pollution. Due to the decentralised nature of the TAD SSIs, coupled with financial constraints facing their operators, control of their pollution needs a simple cost-effective waste treatment technology. Engineered wetland systems (EWSs) constitute such a technology. A pilot scale EWS was evaluated with respect to its effectiveness in treating dye-rich wastewater. The role of wetland plants was assessed through comparing treatment performance efficiencies between an unplanted and vegetated EWS beds. On the whole, it has been demonstrated that the EWS has the potential to effectively treat dye-rich wastewater. Colour, which is the most apparent problem issue with textile wastewater, was reduced by 72-77%. COD was reduced by 68-73%, while sulphate was reduced by 53-59%. The proportionately high COD removal suggests the reduction in colour was accompanied by almost complete degradation of dyes and daughter products. The overall treatment efficiency of the vegetated units was more than twice as high as that of the unplanted bed. On average, the bed vegetated with coco yam plants performed better (7.6%) than the one planted with cattail plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Lands and Environmental Engineering, University College of Lands and Architectural Studies, P. O. Box 35176, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Smbuli@lsu.edu
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mbuligwe
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D004396:Coloring Agents; D017753:Ecosystem; D063245:Plant Development; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis; D013783:Textile Industry; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D018508:Water Purification / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D013431:Sulfates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical