Eco-friendly solutions for urban wastewater: evaluating constructed wetlands and filtration methods

Urban domestic wastewater is characterized by high concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total suspended solids (TSS), which pose significant environmental risks. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of constructed wetlands (CW) and filtration methods as biological pre-treatments to reduce these pollutants. Three reactors were employed: two types of CW using water bamboo (Equisetum hyemale) and water jasmine (Enchinodorus palifolius) and a filtration unit without plants utilizing sand and gravel as media. This design facilitated a comparative analysis under controlled laboratory conditions. The filtration method demonstrated superior performance in reducing BOD, COD, and TSS compared to the CW setups. Although all methods surpassed the quality standards set by regional regulations, filtration showed a higher removal efficiency, especially for TSS, which was effectively trapped in the filter media. The study highlights the differential capabilities of plant-based systems versus physical filtration in treating urban wastewater. While all tested systems effectively reduced pollutant levels below the mandated standards, the integration of filtration systems offers a more consistent and higher efficiency, particularly for TSS removal. These results underscore the potential of combining biological and physical treatment processes to enhance urban wastewater management strategies.industrial and agricultural pollutants, improving water quality sustainably and cost-effectively.