Accumulation Of Zn, Cu, Fe And Mn In Typha Latifolia Growing In A Pilot Constructed Wetland Treating Mining Drainage Water (Bolnisi, Georgia)

Konstantine Khachapuridze, Giorgi Mchedlishvili, Guranda Avkopashvili

Abstract


Background and Objective - Constructed wetlands are increasingly used as nature-based polishing systems to remove residual contaminants from industrial effluents following conventional treatment processes. This study evaluated the accumulation of residual heavy metals by Typha latifolia in a pilot constructed wetland receiving treated mining drainage water from a tailings facility in Bolnisi, Georgia.

Methods - Field monitoring was conducted monthly between May and September 2025. Water, sediment, and plant samples were collected to assess the distribution of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) within the wetland system. Plant tissues were digested following the EPA 3050B protocol, and metal concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in accordance with ISO 8288-A:1986. Water samples were analyzed using a Hach DR-3900 spectrophotometer.

Results - Metal accumulation was strongly concentrated in root tissues, whereas substantially lower concentrations were detected in leaves and flowers. Iron and manganese exhibited the highest concentrations in plant biomass, with clear evidence of root-dominated retention. Translocation factor values below unity for all investigated metals indicated limited movement from roots to above-ground tissues, supporting phytostabilization as the dominant remediation mechanism. Additional upstream–downstream monitoring conducted in 2026 demonstrated an average manganese removal efficiency of 67%, suggesting that the wetland contributes to the attenuation of residual metals.

Conclusion - The findings indicate that Typha latifolia acts mainly as a phytostabilizing species in the investigated wetland and suggest that constructed wetlands may serve as a low-cost supplementary treatment stage for chemically treated mining wastewater. Long-term studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

Keywords


phytostabilization; wetland macrophytes; metal translocation; nature-based treatment; manganese removal; rhizosphere retention.

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v59.2.8746

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