Initial efficiency of a bamboo grove-based treatment system for winery wastewater

The contamination of the water resource is a critical environmental issue. PHYTOREM (R), a French company specialized in phytoremediation, has patented an innovative technology using temperate bamboos to treat wastewater. The latter is evenly spread over a bamboo grove and supplies water and nutrients for plant growth. The bamboo grove produces new culms each year and mature culms can be harvested and processed in wood or energy industries. The present experiment demonstrates the contaminant removal efficiency of a bamboo grove composed of three bamboo species. During 2 years winery wastewater was spread over a bamboo plot. Nutrient status of leachate was evaluated, and the results from the treatment plot did not show any difference compared to the control. This experiment showed that 99% of the organic matter and 98% of the nutrients were removed by the soil-bamboo system.