Use of plants in wastewater treatment: species and effectiveness — A literature review

Abstract

Water is a vital resource for living beings and has multiple uses, some of which involve contaminant loads so high that the water cannot be used again without treatment, effectively becoming a waste. Wastewater is treated to reduce or eliminate these organic and inorganic contaminants. One such treatment method is phytoremediation, which utilizes the characteristics of plants to absorb organic and inorganic pollutants. To identify these plants, articles located in the Dimensions knowledge database were reviewed. The bibliographic review revealed that the most commonly used phytoremediation methods are phytoaccumulation and rhizofiltration, with lesser use of phytodegradation, phytostabilization, phytovolatilization, and phytoimmobilization. It was also found that the most frequently used plant families are Salviniaceae and Poaceae, followed closely by Araceae and Pontederiaceae. Plants represent a broad field of research in wastewater treatment, as there are species known to be highly effective in removing organic and inorganic contaminants, while other species still offer potential for experimental investigation.