Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
08:49
Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff
Published on: May 15, 2017
Nutrient removal by root zone treatment systems: a review
P G Sonavane1, G R Munavalli, S V Ranade
1Civil Engineering Department, Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli-416 415. patya67@yahoo.com
Journal of Environmental Science & Engineering
|June 26, 2009
Summary
The Root Zone Treatment System (RZTS) shows promise for nutrient removal in India. Further lab research is needed to optimize plant and media combinations for Indian conditions and establish performance standards.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Wastewater Treatment Technologies
- Ecological Engineering
Background:
- The Root Zone Treatment System (RZTS) is widely used in Europe for nutrient removal.
- Despite its adaptability to tropical climates like India, RZTS adoption for nutrient-induced issues in India is limited.
- Barriers to RZTS adoption in India include a lack of data, scientific consensus on mechanisms, and challenges in applying international performance standards.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the limited use of RZTS in India for nutrient removal.
- To guide lab-scale research for identifying optimal wetland plants and bed media combinations for Indian conditions.
- To establish combination-specific performance standards for RZTS tailored to typical Indian environmental parameters.
Main Methods:
- Conducting lab-scale research to identify suitable wetland plants and bed media.
- Performing comparative studies on the performance of different plant-media combinations under controlled conditions.
- Analyzing data from field applications to understand performance variability and mechanistic disparities.
Main Results:
- Identification of potential wetland plants and bed media suitable for RZTS in India.
- Comparative performance data for various plant-media combinations under Indian conditions.
- Insights into performance variability and nutrient removal mechanisms in field applications.
Conclusions:
- Lab-scale research is crucial for optimizing RZTS design and performance in India.
- Establishing Indian-specific performance standards and maintenance strategies will foster technology acceptance.
- Leveraging international research and avoiding duplication is essential for efficient RZTS development in India.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.
01:30Biological Treatment of Effluent and Waste Water
Biological wastewater treatment relies on the metabolic activity of microorganisms to remove pollutants from sewage. In modern treatment systems, this process is organized into sequential stages that progressively reduce solid material, dissolved organic matter, and microbial contamination. Each stage plays a distinct role in improving water quality and preparing the effluent for safe discharge or reuse.Primary and Secondary TreatmentPrimary treatment is a physical process that removes large...
02:34Water and Mineral Acquisition
Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.
00:46Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
02:35Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the atmosphere, the...
01:30Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...