Assessment of Sewage Treatment Plant Treated Effluent Remediation using Phytoremediation Technique

¹ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Architecture, University of Nizwa, Birkat Al Mouz, 616 Nizwa, Oman
² Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 3 August 2026

Abstract

The increasing global demand for clean water has intensified the need for efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment methods. More studies are focusing on overcoming the limitations of conventional wastewater treatment technologies by exploring sustainable, low-cost, and low-maintenance alternatives. With rapid population growth and industrialization contributing to higher pollution loads in receiving water bodies, there is a growing emphasis on environmentally friendly treatment solutions. Among these, phytoremediation has emerged as a promising approach due to its effectiveness, affordability, and ecological compatibility. This study investigates the application of phytoremediation for sewage treated effluent using two aquatic plant species cultivated in separate treatment tanks installed at the effluent discharge point of a local wastewater treatment facility. Two operational parameters, namely pH and hydraulic retention time were varied to evaluate treatment performance. Water samples were collected and analyzed during each treatment cycle to assess pollutant removal efficiency. The results demonstrate the potential of phytoremediation systems to enhance effluent quality under con-trolled conditions, offering a sustainable complement to conventional sewage treatment processes.