Subsurface vertical flow constructed wetland as potential landfill leachate treatment of the solid waste disposal facility of Iligan City, Philippines

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Research Paper 20/10/2022
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Subsurface vertical flow constructed wetland as potential landfill leachate treatment of the solid waste disposal facility of Iligan City, Philippines

Roger B. Dologuin Jr., Maria Sheila K. Ramos, Jaime Q. Guihawan, Ruben F. Amparado Jr.
J. Biodiv. & Environ. Sci. 21(4), 140-153, October 2022.
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2022; The Author(s).
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

The landfill leachate generated in Bonbonon is considered high strength (11,622mg/L BOD5), posing serious environmental risks. In this paper, an attempt was made to reduce specifically the BOD5 (~5,000mg/L) as finishing treatment with a Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland (VCFW) planted with Taro (Colocasia esculenta) and Cattail (Typha latifolia), respectively to render the leachate as effluent amenable for disposal as required by the Philippine Clean Water Act. Raw and treated effluents were sampled and analyzed for various water quality parameters at specific hydraulic retention time (14, 21, 28 days, respectively). Pollutants were removed more effectively by vegetated cells than by the non-vegetated cells. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) removed more contaminants than Cattail (Typha latifolia), with an average of 99.32% BOD5 removal and average pH reduction to as low as 7.06 from the average original pH of 7.72. Turbidity reduction is less effective with VFCWs. The system was able to remove 100% of the lead (Pb). Hence, Constructed Wetlands (CWs) with subsurface-vertical flow proved to be a cost-effective phytoremediation treatment technology of the landfill leachate. It is indeed a promising treatment technology that Iligan City can implement to treat its high strength wastewater.

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