Introduction

• Industries generate enormous amount of wastewater
• Wastewaters are rich in toxic heavymetals and other hazardous chemicals
• Indiscriminate disposal resulted in soil and water pollution
• Current wastewater treatments are expensive
• Reed bed system is an ecofriendly and cost effective method for treating industrial wastewaters

Reed Bed System :Integrates plants and geomaterials to remove (by absorption and adsorption) pollutants from wastewater

• Cattail reed (Typha latifolia) is a perennial herbaceous plant effective in removing heavymetals and salts
• Root exudates effectively immobilize heavy metals in the rhizosphere

Water hyacinth : Water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) effectively absorbs nitrate and phosphate besides heavymetals

Vermiculite : A hydrous, silicate mineral with high cation exchange capacity adsorbs large amounts of heavymetals

• Removes heavymetals 90-100% from industrial wastewater
• Reduces BOD and COD (70-90%)
• Reduces TDS (>90%)
• Removes nitrate and phosphates (80-98%)