JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2024, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (5): 221-227.doi: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202304011

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The tailwater purification effectiveness of three aquatic plants and their subsequent physiological changes aquatic

XIA Tongtong(), WU Yongbo*(), PU Keyi, WANG Mingli   

  1. Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
  • Received:2023-04-11 Revised:2023-11-24 Online:2024-09-30 Published:2024-10-03
  • Contact: WU Yongbo E-mail:1972888423@qq.com;yongbowu0920@163.com

Abstract:

【Objective】 This study aims to explore the effectiveness of hydrophytes in purifying tailwater from a sewage plant and the subsequent changes in their physiological characteristics. The results will provide a reference for the effective purification of tailwater and the selection of suitable hydrophytes for this task. 【Method】 Taking Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Typha orientalis and Iris pseudocorus as research objects, pot-control experiments were conducted to simulate the preparation of two different tailwaters, each characterized by different concentrations of contaminants. The removal effects on chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP), and the subsequent physiological characteristics of the three hydrophytes in the two different tailwaters were analyzed. 【Result】 The three types of hydrophytes all had strong removal effects for COD, TN and TP in tailwater. The COD concentration in tailwater decreased from 61.42-107.28 to 8.63-16.20 mg/L, the TN concentration decreased from 24.49-31.54 to 0.40-7.90 mg/L, and the TP concentration decreased from 2.11-3.43 to 0.05-1.00 mg/L. The antioxidant enzyme activity and relative conductivity of S. tabernaemontani and I. pseudocorus increased in the tailwater, while the peroxidase activity and relative conductivity of T. orientalis decreased significantly (P <0.05), and the catalase activity increased significantly (P <0.05). The chlorophyll content of all three hydrophytes in the tailwater decreased significantly (P <0.05), while the photosynthesis of S. tabernaemontani decreased in the tailwater with the higher concentration of contaminants. 【Conclusion】 Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, T. orientalis and I. pseudocorus had significant removal effects on COD, TN and TP in the tailwater. The physiological metabolism of hydrophytes was affected following the exposure to the tailwater. It was concluded that S. tabernaemontani and T. orientalis can be planted together for purifying tailwater with low concentrations of contaminants, while I. pseudocorus can be used for the purification of severely contaminated tailwater.

Key words: aquatic plant, tailwater purification, physiological characteristics, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Typha orientalis, Iris pseudacorus

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