ABSTRACT

In recent years, the use of shallow ponds containing floating plants for treating domestic wastewaters has become increasingly common." Although floating aquatic macrophyte-based treatment systems (FAMS) typically are land intensive, they require little energy for operation, and are capable of removing a spectrum of contaminants (e.g. biochemical oxygen demand, nutrients, toxic organics, metals) from municipal, agricultural and industrial wastewaters.), 5,6 Depending on the management regime, FAMS may also produce large quantities of biomass, which can be utilized as an animal feed or as a feedstock for methane production.