M. Toromanović, J. Ibrahimpašić, Lj. Topalić-Trivunović, I Šišić
Constructed wetlands, as an alternative to conventional methods, are systems designed on the basis of the application of natural purification processes that take place in watery and swampy overgrown habitats, with certain microbiological groups. In the wastewater treatment process various types of constructed wetlands can be combined to achieve a higher efficiency of the purification.
In this study, the removal effectiveness of the organic substances from municipal wastewater was monitored, using a horizontal pilot - scale constructed wetland utilizing Typha latifolia and Phragmites australis. In addition to the measurement of organic substances content through COD, BOD and KMnO4 consumption, and total dissolved substances (TDS) in influent and effluent, microbiological sample analysis was performed, monitored by total number of coliform bacteria.
The aim of this study was to calculate the effectiveness of removing organic substances from municipal wastewater, depending on the season, as well as the effectiveness of eliminating total coliform bacteria.
The results of one-year research have shown that the removal effectiveness of the organic substances from municipal wastewater, expressed as the chemical oxygen demand (COD), was the highest in summer - 87.82% ± 2.83%, and the lowest in the winter - 64.51% ± 5.89%. During the study, effectiveness of elimination of total coliform bacteria was 97.88 ± 0.80% and total dissolved substances 71.27% .
Key words: constructed wetland, organic matter, purification efficiency, wetland plants.