Influence of Typha domingensis in the removal on high P concentrations from water

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the removal of high P concentration from water by vegetated and unvegetated wetlands. Reactors containing 4 Kg of sediment and two plants of Typha domingensis (vegetated treatments) and reactors containing only sediment (unvegetated treatments) were arranged. Reactors were dosed with 100 and 500 mg L-1 of P-PO4. The studied concentrations tried to simulate an accidental dump. Controls without P addition were also disposed. Water samples were collected periodically and analyzed for phosphorus. Sediment (0-3 (surface), 3-7 (medium) and 7-10cm (deep)) and plant samples (roots, rhizomes, submerged leaves and aerial leaves) were collected at the beginning and at end of the experiment and were analyzed for total phosphorus. P fractionation was performed in the surface sediment layer. Relative growth rate (RGR) was calculated in each treatment considering initial and final plant height. P was efficiently removed from water in both, vegetated and unvegetated treatments. However, the major P removal was achieved in vegetated treatments. T. domingensis has a high capacity to tolerate and accumulate high P concentrations, especially in leaves, causing P accumulation in sediment to be significantly low in vegetated treatments. P accumulation was produced in the surface sediment layer (0-3cm) in all treatments, mainly retained as iron-bound P. Present results point the large removal capacity of phosphate of systems planted with T. domingensis. Therefore T. domingensis is suitable for phytoremediation practice, being capable to tolerate high P concentration.Fil: Di Luca, Gisela Alfonsina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Laboratorio de Química Analítica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Maine, Maria Alejandra. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Laboratorio de Química Analítica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mufarrege, María de Las Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - la Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Laboratorio de Química Analítica; ArgentinaFil: Hadad, Hernán Ricardo. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Laboratorio de Química Analítica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Bonetto, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; Argentin