Assessment of the dye removal capability of submersed aquatic plants in a laboratory-scale wetland system using ANOVA

The textile dye (Basic Blue 41(BB41)) removal capability of a laboratory-scale wetland system was presented in this study. Twenty glass aquaria were used to establish the wetland. Myriophyllum spicatum and Ceratophyllum demersum were planted in the aquaria and acclimated. After establishing flow conditions, the aquaria were fed with synthetic wastewaters containing BB41. The concentration of the dye was adjusted to 11.0 mg/L in the synthetic wastewater. Hydraulic retention times (HRTs) ranged between 3 and 18 days. Effective HRTs were 9 and 18 days. The highest dye removal rates were 94.8 and 94.1% for M spicatum and C demersum aquaria respectively. The statistical ANOVA method was used to assess the dye removal capability of the wetland system. In all cases the ANOVA method revealed that plants in the wetland system and HRT were important factors and the wetland system was able to remove the dye from influent wastewater.