TITLE:
Wastewater Treatment Potentials of Vegetated Beds with Brillantaisia cf. bauchiensis Hutch & Dalz and Polygonum salicifolium Brouss ex Wild in the Western Highlands of Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Julius Kajoh Boyah, Théophile Fonkou, Télesphore Benoît Nguelefack, Victor François Nguetsop, Martin Lekeufack
KEYWORDS:
Wastewater, Vegetated Beds, Medicinal Macrophytes, Brillantaisia bauchiensis and Polygonum salicifolium
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.10 No.3,
March
11,
2019
ABSTRACT: The
objective of this study was to evaluate the potentials of beds vegetated with
medicinal species (Brillantaisia
bauchiensis and Polygonum
salicifolium) in a constructed wetland for domestic wastewater treatment in
the Western Highlands of Cameroon. The study was carried out between March and
September 2017 on plants collected from a natural wetland in Penka-Michel. The
two plants species selected based on their ethnobotanical importance were
transplanted and allowed to grow to maturity in a prepared natural wetland at
Penka-Michel and a constructed wetland for domestic wastewater treatment on the
campus of the University of Dschang. Growth parameters were followed for the
two plants species in both wetlands. The physicochemical
parameters and faecal bacteria concentrations were measured only for the vegetated
and non-vegetated/control beds in the constructed wetland. Overall, the two plants species showed
increased growth in height, diameter, leaf number and plants density. The change in diameter and density
were very significantly influenced by species type in the constructed wetland
than in the natural wetland. Generally, plant growth in height, diameter and
density were higher with B. bauchiensis in the constructed wetland than
with P. salicifolium in both wetlands. The mean faecal bacteria
removal was higher in the vegetated beds for some bacteria than in the
non-vegetated/control bed. There was a significant difference in the reduction
efficiency of TSS, turbidity, BOD, Faecal streptococci and Total coliforms
bacteria between the inflow and the outflow of some treatment beds especially
the bed vegetated with Brillantaisia
bauchiensis. There were correlations between the two plants species as
concerns increased plants height, diameter, leave number, shoot number and
nutrients uptake in the constructed wetland beds compared with the natural
wetland.