Phosphorus Recovery from Wastewater Using Constructed Wetlands with Typha latifolia
Vymazal J, Brezinova T, Kozeluh M
Phytoremediation
It means the phosphorus that would otherwise pollute your local waterways could instead end up back in garden soil as compost, closing a nutrient loop that benefits both ecosystems and home growers.
Researchers grew cattails — those tall, fluffy-tipped plants you see at the edges of ponds — in specially designed wetlands that filter city wastewater. The cattails soaked up nearly all the phosphorus (a nutrient that causes algae blooms when it builds up in lakes and rivers), and the harvested plants were rich enough in that nutrient to be composted and used as fertilizer. The whole system cost significantly less than the chemical methods cities typically use to do the same job.
Key Findings
Cattail-based constructed wetlands removed 89% of phosphorus from municipal wastewater over a 2-year study period.
Harvested cattail biomass contained 1.2% phosphorus by dry weight, making it directly usable as compost fertilizer.
The system cost 40% less to operate than conventional chemical phosphorus precipitation methods.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Constructed wetlands planted with cattails can remove 89% of phosphorus from municipal wastewater, turning a pollution problem into compostable fertilizer — at 40% less cost than conventional chemical treatment.
Abstract Preview
Cattail-based constructed wetlands recovered 89% of phosphorus from municipal wastewater over a 2-year period. Harvested cattail biomass contained 1.2% P by dry weight, suitable for direct composti...
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Typha is a genus of about 30 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. These plants have a variety of common names, in British English bulrush or reedmace, in American English cattail or punks, in Australia cumbungi or bulrush, in Canada bulrush or cattail, and in New ...