Boron removal with microcosm constructed wetlands (MCWs) with Carex divisa for treating contaminated river water

Türker, Onur Can ( Aksaray, Yazar )Constructed wetlands (CWs) are capable of removing pollutants from the water environment; therefore, they are used for treating domestic, industrial, municipal, and mine drainage wastewater. In this study, we investigated the potential use of microcosm scale constructed wetlands (MCWs) to treat boron (B) from modified river water contaminated by boron (B). MCW treatment systems were designed according to mono-culture parameters with Carex divisa (Cyperaceae), and one unplanted system was also designed as control. The performances of the MCW treatment systems were assessed for 42 days under field conditions in Western Anatolia (Eskişehir, Turkey). Correspondingly, we found that MCW systems with plant cover had better removal performance in comparison with unplanted systems, and B treatment performances in the research period were ranged from 29.9 to 70.6% for treatment systems (MCWs) and from 21.3 to 44% for unplanted control. Furthermore, nitrate (NO3−) and ammonium (NH4+) concentrations were also monitored during the treatment period, and NO3− treatment performances were ranged from 84.58 to 90.38% and from 68.19 to 79.44% for MCWs and unplanted control respectively, and NH4+ treatment performances were ranged from 87.12 to 92.19% for treatment systems (MCWs) and from 77.98 to 81.36% for unplanted control. The results from the present experiment suggested that MCW treatment systems have a potential for removal of B from polluted river water, and thus, this type of system could be used as an alternative treatment method for contaminated river water in Western Anatolia which has the biggest borax reserve in over the world