A Biotechnological Application to Improve the Effluent Quality of Wastewater Treatment Plant

The aim of this study is to improve the quality of the effluent of Elazığ Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant with the technique of phytoremediation used in a biotechnological application. For this purpose, a reactor design which the effluent of Elazığ Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant fed was realized. In the design of the reactor, the size of the final settling basin of the treatment plant was taken as basis. The size of the reactor was about 41 cm in diameter and 3 cm in water height. After the reactor was built, the reactor was placed at the point where the final settling basin effluent of Elazığ Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant was discharged. Lemna gibba L. plant that used in the study was collected from natural environment from Elazığ region. Lemna gibba L. plant collected from the natural environment was placed in such a way as to cover the surface of the reactor we had designed and work started. Concentrations of SS, BOD5, COD, O-PO4-3 and NH4+-N, which are the effluent parameters of the wastewater treatment plant, were determined. At the exit of the planted reactor where the treatment plant effluent was fed, it was seen that there was a decrease in the concentrations of the said parameters. As a result, it was determined that the phytoremediation technique we applied improved the quality of the effluent from the treatment plant.