The contribution of plant uptake to wastewater treatment in floating treatment wetlands

Rina Gollopeni

Bakalářská práce

Abstract:

Floating treatment wetlands have attracted interest in applied ecology as a sustainable method for removing nutrients and other contaminants from aquatic systems. This bachelor’s thesis examined the uptake of selected essential and non-essential elements by four different macrophytes (Iris pseudacorus, Carex nigra, Juncus effusus and Scirpus sylvaticus) growing on floating islands, in a pond treating a mixture of stormwater and greywater, over a six-month period. Plants from both control and island treatments were harvested and separated into below-mat and above-mat parts. Concentrations of selected elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, and selected metals) in plant biomass were determined. To further evaluate macrophyte uptake efficiency and element allocation, bioconcentration and translocation factors were calculated. Element accumulation in plant tissues differed significantly between species, while a higher accumulation was mainly observed in roots compared to shoots. Lithium, as the only contaminant of concern detected in water, showed low mobility in plant tissues and was primarily retained in the roots of macrophytes. Overall, species demonstrated good tolerance to hydroponic conditions, indicating potential for their use in floating treatment wetlands in removing selected contaminants.

Keywords

plant uptake, nutrients, floating islands, wastewater treatment

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 31. 3. 2026

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 25. 5. 2026
• Vedoucí: Ing. Adam Jan Sochacki, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Katarzyna Pawęska, externi

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta životního prostředí

Bakalářský studijní program:
Environmental Engineering