Phytoremediation potential of Schumannianthus dichotomus in vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland

Schumannianthus dichotomus (Murta) is a naturally abundant wetland plant species in Bangladesh that has significant economic and aesthetic values. This species is perennial, and fast-growing in the nutrient-abundant swamp and marshes, moreover, it can thrive in a shaded and semi-shaded environment. Although it has all the potential to be a prominent Constructed Wetlands (CW) plant, no considerable study has yet been reported on the phytoremediation potential of the plant. The study was conducted to scrutinize the contaminants removal efficiency of the Murta plant in a lab-scale vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland (VSSFCW). Two CW columns were installed for the experiment: one kept planted (experimental) with the Murta plants and the another remained unplanted (control). Afterward a two months stabilization period,…