title: Influence of vegetation and gravel mesh on the tertiary treatment of wastewater from a cosmetics industry.
abstract: To estimate the influence of gravel mesh (fine and coarse) and vegetation (Phragmites and Arundo) on the efficiency of a reed bed, a pilot plant was included after the wastewater treatment plant of a cosmetic industry treatment system according to a 22 factorial experimental design. The maximum biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorous (TP) reduction was observed in the reactor, where Phragmites and fine gravel were used. In the reactor with Phragmites and coarse gravel, the maximum total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and total suspended solids (TSS) reduction was observed. The maximum total solids reduction was measured in the reed bed, which was filled with Arundo and coarse gravel. Conclusively, the treatment of a cosmetic industry's wastewater by reed beds as a tertiary treatment method is quite effective.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece. avlys@tee.gr
authors.forename: Apostolos G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vlyssides
authors.forename: Sofia T H
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Elli Maria P
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Barampouti
authors.forename: Haralampos N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Loukakis
mesh_terms: D003358:Cosmetics; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D007501:Iron; D009584:Nitrogen