Aquaculture Wastewater Treatment Using Constructed Wetlands Planted with Umbrella Palm (Cyperus alternifolius)
Main Article Content
Abstract
Aquaculture in Vietnam plays an important role in the economy, however along with that is the problem of water pollution due to untreated wastewater. This study evaluated the capacity of constructed wetlands (CW) planted with umbrella palm (Cyperus alternifolius) using gravel, coconut fiber and Leca materials as substrate layers to treat aquaculture wastewater in Quang Ninh. The results showed that after 14 days, the wetland system planted with C. alternifolius on gravel and coconut fiber (CW1) and the wetland system planted with C. alternifolius using gravel and Leca (CW2) had good organic matter removal capacity with COD and BOD5 reduction efficiency of over 82%, while the system using only gravel and coconut fiber (CW3) had COD and BOD5 reduction efficiency of 71.6% and 75.9%, respectively; the system using only gravel and Leca (CW4) had COD and BOD5 reduction efficiencies of 75.2 and 77.4%, respectively. After 14 days, the CW1 system had total suspended solids (TSS), ammonium (NH4+-N), nitrate (NO3--N) and phosphate (PO43--P) removal efficiencies of 71.3%, 93.6%, 74.2% and 88.5%, respectively; meanwhile the TSS, NH4+-N, NO3--N and PO43--P removal efficiencies in the CW2 system reached 76%, 87.7%, 68.5% and 92.8%, respectively. The research results showed the potential for applying constructed wetland systems planted with umbrella palm to treat aquaculture wastewater in Vietnam.
Keywords:
Constructed wetlands, aquaculture wastewater, umbrella palm, coconut fiber, Leca.
References
[1] C. B. C. Brana, K. Cerbule, P. Senff, I. K. Stolz, Towards Environmental Sustainability in Marine Finfish Aquaculture, Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol. 8, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.666662.
[2] D. R. Kioussis, F. W. Wheaton, P. Kofinas, Reactive Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal from Aquaculture Wastewater Effluents Using Polymer Hydrogels, Aquacultural Engineering, Vol. 23, 2000, pp. 315-332, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0144-8609(00)00058-3.
[3] X. Liu, Y. Wang, H. Liu, Y. Zhang, Q. Zhou,
X. Wen, W. Guo, Z. Zhang, A Systematic Review on Aquaculture Wastewater: Pollutants, Impacts, and Treatment Technology, Environmental Research, Vol. 262, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.119793J.
[4] B. T. Iber, N. A. Kasan, Recent Advances in Shrimp Aquaculture Wastewater Management, Heliyon, Vol. 7, 2021, pp. e08283, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08283.
[5] H. Wu, J. Zhang, H. H. Ngo, W. Guo, Z. Hu,
S. Liang, J. Fan, H. Liu, A Review on the Sustainability of Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: Design and Operation, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 175, 2015,
pp. 594-601, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.10.068.
[6] P. T. T Hang, V. Cochevelou, H. D. K. Dinh, F. Breider, P. Rossi, Implementation of a Constructed Wetland for The Sustainable Treatment of Inland Shrimp Farming Water, Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 279, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111782.
[7] Y. Tepe, F. A. Temel, Treatment of Effluents from Fish and Shrimp Aquaculture in Constructed Wetlands, in Constructed Wetlands for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Wiley, 2018, pp. 105-125, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119268376.ch5.
[8] J. T. Mogale, M. K. Maluleke, The Effect of Varying Coconut Coir Substrates and Loam Soil on the Physiology, and Biochemical Constituents of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. esculentum)
Grown Under Greenhouse Environment, Discover Sustainability, Vol. 6, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-00933-3.
[9] C. Yang, X. Zhang, Y. Tang, Y. Jiang, S. Xie,
Y. Zhang, Y. Qin, Selection and Optimization of the Substrate in Constructed Wetland: A Review, Journal of Water Process Engineering, Vol. 49, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.103140.
[10] A. Dordio, A. J. Carvalho, Constructed Wetlands with Light Expanded Clay Aggregates for Agricultural Wastewater Treatment, Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 463 - 464, 2013, pp. 454-461, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.06.052.
[11] S. I. A. Elela, M. A. Elekhnawy, M. T. Khalilv, M. S. Hellal, Factors Affecting the Performance of Horizontal Flow Constructed Treatment Wetland Vegetated with Cyperus Papyrus for Municipal Wastewater Treatment, International Journal of Phytoremediation, Vol. 19, 2017, pp. 102-1028, https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2017.1319327.
[12] Q. A. Le, N. Dinh, T. Phan, P. Nguyen, N. Pham, L. Nguyen, U. Rudolph, J. Hilbig, Treatment of Shrimp Farm Effluents Using a Combination of Native Plant Species in the Mekong Delta Region, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 20, 2023, pp. 4459-4466.
[13] H. T. T. Hang, N. D. Tuan, Assessment of the Growth Characteristics of Umbrella Papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius L.) and its Effects on Reducing Nitrate, BOD₅, and TSS in Organically Polluted Water, Journal of Tropical Science and Technology, Vol. 34, 2024, pp. 35-46.
[14] J. Garcia, D. P. L. Rousseau, J. Morat, E. L. S. Lesage, V. Matamoros, J. M. Bayona, Contaminant Removal Processes in Subsurface-flow Constructed Wetlands: A Review, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 40, 2010, pp. 561-661, https://doi.org/10.1080/10643380802471076.
[15] F. Yao, G. Shen , X. Li, H. Li, H. Hu, W. Ni, A Comparative Study on The Potential of Oxygen Release by Roots of Selected Wetland Plants, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 2011, pp. 475-478, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2010.11.001.
[16] J. Liu, N. K. Yi, S. Wang, L. J. Lu, X. F. Huang, Impact of Plant Species on Spatial Distribution of Metabolic Potential and Functional Diversity of Microbial Communities in A Constructed Wetland Treating Aquaculture Wastewater, Ecological Engineering, Vol. 94, 2016, pp. 564-573.
[17] M. A. Nkansah, A. A. Christy, T. Barth, G. W. Francis, The Use of Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) as Sorbent for PAHs Removal from Water, Journal of Hazardous Materials,
Vol. 217-218, 2012, pp. 360-365.
[18] L. Mishra, G. Basu, Coconut Fibre: Its Structure, Properties and Applications, Editor(s): R. M. Kozłowski, M. M. Talarczyk, In Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles, Handbook of Natural Fibres (Second Edition), Woodhead Publishing, 2020, pp. 231-255, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818398-4.00010-4.
[19] M. H. Khan, N. M. Akash, S. Akter, M. Rukh, C. Nzediegwu, M. Islam, A Comprehensive Review of Coconut-based Porous Materials for Wastewater Treatment and CO2 Capture, Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 338, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117825.
[20] L. Zhang, L. Y. Tu, Y. Liang, Q. Chen, Z. Li, C. Li, Z. Wang, W. Li, Coconut-based Activated Carbon Fibers for Efficient Adsorption of Various Organic Dyes, RSC Advances, Vol. 8, 2018,
pp. 42280-42291.
[21] A. Rani, M. Chauhan, K. Sharma, M. Kumari, D. Mitra, S. Joshi, Microbiological Dimensions And Functions in Constructed Wetlands: A Review, Current Research in Microbial Sciences, Vol. 7, 2024, pp. 100311, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100311.
[22] L. T. That, H. Y. Hoang, Utilizing a Settling Pond-based Constructed Wetland for the Treatment of Shrimp Aquaculture Wastewater – from Laboratory to Field Scale: A Case study in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam, Ecological Engineering,
Vol. 199, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2023.107172.
[23] N. T. Hiep, L. H. Q. Anh, P. D. Tuan, D. S. Khang, P. D. Dong, H. T. N Han, D. T. Thuan, D. T. Nga, Improving the Treatment of Saline Wastewater from Shrimp Farms Using Hybrid Constructed Wetlands Models toward Sustainable Development, Environment and Natural Resources Journal, Vol. 21, 2023, pp. 54-562, https://doi.org/10.32526/ennrj/21/20230146.
[24] S. Raharjo, E. S. F. Irmawati, M. Manaf, Constructed Wetland with Flow Water Surface Type for Elimination of Aquaculture Wastewater from Catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Var), IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 187, 2018, pp. 012061, https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/187/1/012061.
[25] S. H. Hamid, F. Lananan, N. A. M. Noor, A. Endut, Physical Filtration of Nutrients Utilizing Gravel-based and Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) as Growing Media in Aquaponic Recirculation System (ARS), Aquacultural Engineering, Vol. 98, 2022, pp. 102261, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2022.102261.
[26] E. M. Kalhori, T. J. A. Musawi, E. Ghahramani,
H. Kazemian, M. Zarrabi, Enhancement of the Adsorption Capacity of the Light-Weight Expanded Clay Aggregate Surface for the Metronidazole Antibiotic by Coating with Mgo Nanoparticles: Studies on the Kinetic, Isotherm, and Effects of Environmental Parameters, Chemosphere, Vol. 175, 2017, pp. 8-20.
[27] M. Konneh, S. M. Wandera, S. I. Murunga, J. M. Raude, Adsorption and Desorption of Nutrients from Abattoir Wastewater: Modelling and Comparison of Rice, Coconut and Coffee Husk Biochar, Heliyon, Vol. 7, No. 11, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08458.
[28] V. R. Mano, N. Vasudevan, Removal of Nutrients in Denitrification System Using Coconut Coir Fibre for the Biological Treatment of Aquaculture Wastewater, Journal of Environmental Biology, Vol. 33, 2012, pp. 271-276.
[29] X. Zhang, P. Guo, X. Yang, X. Yao, H. Cong,
B. Xu, Research on Enhanced Effects and Mechanisms of Nitrogen Removal with Plant Carbons Sources in Constructed Wetlands, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Vol. 11, 2023, pp. 110397, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110397.
[30] A. C. A. D. Lima, R. F. Nascimento, F. F. D. Sousa, J. M. Filho, A. C. Oliveira, Modified Coconut Shell Fibers: A Green and Economical Sorbent for the Removal of Anions from Aqueous Solutions, Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 185186, 2012, pp. 274-284, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.01.037.
[31] L. H. Cui, X. Z. Zhu, Y. Ouyang, Y. Chen, F. L. Yang, Total Phosphorus Removal from Domestic Wastewater with Cyperus Alternifoliusi Vertical-Flow Constructed Wetlands at the Microcosm Level, International Journal of Phytoremediation, Vol. 13, 2011, pp. 692-701.
[2] D. R. Kioussis, F. W. Wheaton, P. Kofinas, Reactive Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal from Aquaculture Wastewater Effluents Using Polymer Hydrogels, Aquacultural Engineering, Vol. 23, 2000, pp. 315-332, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0144-8609(00)00058-3.
[3] X. Liu, Y. Wang, H. Liu, Y. Zhang, Q. Zhou,
X. Wen, W. Guo, Z. Zhang, A Systematic Review on Aquaculture Wastewater: Pollutants, Impacts, and Treatment Technology, Environmental Research, Vol. 262, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.119793J.
[4] B. T. Iber, N. A. Kasan, Recent Advances in Shrimp Aquaculture Wastewater Management, Heliyon, Vol. 7, 2021, pp. e08283, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08283.
[5] H. Wu, J. Zhang, H. H. Ngo, W. Guo, Z. Hu,
S. Liang, J. Fan, H. Liu, A Review on the Sustainability of Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: Design and Operation, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 175, 2015,
pp. 594-601, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.10.068.
[6] P. T. T Hang, V. Cochevelou, H. D. K. Dinh, F. Breider, P. Rossi, Implementation of a Constructed Wetland for The Sustainable Treatment of Inland Shrimp Farming Water, Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 279, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111782.
[7] Y. Tepe, F. A. Temel, Treatment of Effluents from Fish and Shrimp Aquaculture in Constructed Wetlands, in Constructed Wetlands for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Wiley, 2018, pp. 105-125, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119268376.ch5.
[8] J. T. Mogale, M. K. Maluleke, The Effect of Varying Coconut Coir Substrates and Loam Soil on the Physiology, and Biochemical Constituents of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. esculentum)
Grown Under Greenhouse Environment, Discover Sustainability, Vol. 6, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-00933-3.
[9] C. Yang, X. Zhang, Y. Tang, Y. Jiang, S. Xie,
Y. Zhang, Y. Qin, Selection and Optimization of the Substrate in Constructed Wetland: A Review, Journal of Water Process Engineering, Vol. 49, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.103140.
[10] A. Dordio, A. J. Carvalho, Constructed Wetlands with Light Expanded Clay Aggregates for Agricultural Wastewater Treatment, Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 463 - 464, 2013, pp. 454-461, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.06.052.
[11] S. I. A. Elela, M. A. Elekhnawy, M. T. Khalilv, M. S. Hellal, Factors Affecting the Performance of Horizontal Flow Constructed Treatment Wetland Vegetated with Cyperus Papyrus for Municipal Wastewater Treatment, International Journal of Phytoremediation, Vol. 19, 2017, pp. 102-1028, https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2017.1319327.
[12] Q. A. Le, N. Dinh, T. Phan, P. Nguyen, N. Pham, L. Nguyen, U. Rudolph, J. Hilbig, Treatment of Shrimp Farm Effluents Using a Combination of Native Plant Species in the Mekong Delta Region, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 20, 2023, pp. 4459-4466.
[13] H. T. T. Hang, N. D. Tuan, Assessment of the Growth Characteristics of Umbrella Papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius L.) and its Effects on Reducing Nitrate, BOD₅, and TSS in Organically Polluted Water, Journal of Tropical Science and Technology, Vol. 34, 2024, pp. 35-46.
[14] J. Garcia, D. P. L. Rousseau, J. Morat, E. L. S. Lesage, V. Matamoros, J. M. Bayona, Contaminant Removal Processes in Subsurface-flow Constructed Wetlands: A Review, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 40, 2010, pp. 561-661, https://doi.org/10.1080/10643380802471076.
[15] F. Yao, G. Shen , X. Li, H. Li, H. Hu, W. Ni, A Comparative Study on The Potential of Oxygen Release by Roots of Selected Wetland Plants, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 2011, pp. 475-478, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2010.11.001.
[16] J. Liu, N. K. Yi, S. Wang, L. J. Lu, X. F. Huang, Impact of Plant Species on Spatial Distribution of Metabolic Potential and Functional Diversity of Microbial Communities in A Constructed Wetland Treating Aquaculture Wastewater, Ecological Engineering, Vol. 94, 2016, pp. 564-573.
[17] M. A. Nkansah, A. A. Christy, T. Barth, G. W. Francis, The Use of Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) as Sorbent for PAHs Removal from Water, Journal of Hazardous Materials,
Vol. 217-218, 2012, pp. 360-365.
[18] L. Mishra, G. Basu, Coconut Fibre: Its Structure, Properties and Applications, Editor(s): R. M. Kozłowski, M. M. Talarczyk, In Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles, Handbook of Natural Fibres (Second Edition), Woodhead Publishing, 2020, pp. 231-255, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818398-4.00010-4.
[19] M. H. Khan, N. M. Akash, S. Akter, M. Rukh, C. Nzediegwu, M. Islam, A Comprehensive Review of Coconut-based Porous Materials for Wastewater Treatment and CO2 Capture, Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 338, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117825.
[20] L. Zhang, L. Y. Tu, Y. Liang, Q. Chen, Z. Li, C. Li, Z. Wang, W. Li, Coconut-based Activated Carbon Fibers for Efficient Adsorption of Various Organic Dyes, RSC Advances, Vol. 8, 2018,
pp. 42280-42291.
[21] A. Rani, M. Chauhan, K. Sharma, M. Kumari, D. Mitra, S. Joshi, Microbiological Dimensions And Functions in Constructed Wetlands: A Review, Current Research in Microbial Sciences, Vol. 7, 2024, pp. 100311, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100311.
[22] L. T. That, H. Y. Hoang, Utilizing a Settling Pond-based Constructed Wetland for the Treatment of Shrimp Aquaculture Wastewater – from Laboratory to Field Scale: A Case study in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam, Ecological Engineering,
Vol. 199, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2023.107172.
[23] N. T. Hiep, L. H. Q. Anh, P. D. Tuan, D. S. Khang, P. D. Dong, H. T. N Han, D. T. Thuan, D. T. Nga, Improving the Treatment of Saline Wastewater from Shrimp Farms Using Hybrid Constructed Wetlands Models toward Sustainable Development, Environment and Natural Resources Journal, Vol. 21, 2023, pp. 54-562, https://doi.org/10.32526/ennrj/21/20230146.
[24] S. Raharjo, E. S. F. Irmawati, M. Manaf, Constructed Wetland with Flow Water Surface Type for Elimination of Aquaculture Wastewater from Catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Var), IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 187, 2018, pp. 012061, https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/187/1/012061.
[25] S. H. Hamid, F. Lananan, N. A. M. Noor, A. Endut, Physical Filtration of Nutrients Utilizing Gravel-based and Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) as Growing Media in Aquaponic Recirculation System (ARS), Aquacultural Engineering, Vol. 98, 2022, pp. 102261, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaeng.2022.102261.
[26] E. M. Kalhori, T. J. A. Musawi, E. Ghahramani,
H. Kazemian, M. Zarrabi, Enhancement of the Adsorption Capacity of the Light-Weight Expanded Clay Aggregate Surface for the Metronidazole Antibiotic by Coating with Mgo Nanoparticles: Studies on the Kinetic, Isotherm, and Effects of Environmental Parameters, Chemosphere, Vol. 175, 2017, pp. 8-20.
[27] M. Konneh, S. M. Wandera, S. I. Murunga, J. M. Raude, Adsorption and Desorption of Nutrients from Abattoir Wastewater: Modelling and Comparison of Rice, Coconut and Coffee Husk Biochar, Heliyon, Vol. 7, No. 11, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08458.
[28] V. R. Mano, N. Vasudevan, Removal of Nutrients in Denitrification System Using Coconut Coir Fibre for the Biological Treatment of Aquaculture Wastewater, Journal of Environmental Biology, Vol. 33, 2012, pp. 271-276.
[29] X. Zhang, P. Guo, X. Yang, X. Yao, H. Cong,
B. Xu, Research on Enhanced Effects and Mechanisms of Nitrogen Removal with Plant Carbons Sources in Constructed Wetlands, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Vol. 11, 2023, pp. 110397, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110397.
[30] A. C. A. D. Lima, R. F. Nascimento, F. F. D. Sousa, J. M. Filho, A. C. Oliveira, Modified Coconut Shell Fibers: A Green and Economical Sorbent for the Removal of Anions from Aqueous Solutions, Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 185186, 2012, pp. 274-284, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.01.037.
[31] L. H. Cui, X. Z. Zhu, Y. Ouyang, Y. Chen, F. L. Yang, Total Phosphorus Removal from Domestic Wastewater with Cyperus Alternifoliusi Vertical-Flow Constructed Wetlands at the Microcosm Level, International Journal of Phytoremediation, Vol. 13, 2011, pp. 692-701.