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Phytoremediation and smart wetlands: a sustainable framework for wastewater and resource management
Summary
This review paper looks at "constructed wetlands" — engineered systems using plants, microbes, and natural materials to filter out harmful pollutants like heavy metals, antibiotics, and microplastics from wastewater — and proposes a low-cost version built with simple brick materials. This matters because these contaminants can end up in our water supply and food chain, and traditional treatment plants often aren't equipped to fully remove them; wetland-based systems offer a cheaper, more sustainable way to clean water before it reaches communities. The researchers also suggest that adding smart sensors and AI could make these systems even more effective, potentially off
Pollution from various industrial wastewater sources has led to the widespread presence of persistent contaminants such as heavy metals, antibiotics, and microplastics, posing serious environmental and public health risks. Conventional treatment systems often fail to effectively remove these complex pollutants, necessitating sustainable alternatives. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have emerged as efficient, low-cost treatment systems that utilize synergistic interactions among plants, microbes, and substrates under controlled hydrological conditions. This study reviews advancements in CW configurations from 2006 to 2025, including free-water surface, vertical and horizontal subsurface flow, hybrid, and floating systems, with emphasis on pollutant-specific removal across varied climates. An experimental hybrid subsurface wetland using hollow mortar bricks is proposed as a modular, economical alternative to traditional systems. The multi-species system demonstrated effective removal of heavy metals and nutrients across diverse wastewater types. Integration of IoT and AI technologies further highlights the potential of smart wetlands for decentralized, climate-resilient wastewater treatment solutions.