Floating Treatment Wetland: phytoremediation applied to the Brazilian Semi-arid region

Floating Treatment Wetland (FTW) is a technique that can be used for the restoration of water bodies based on phytoremediation processes. FTW simulates the natural wetland environment and accelerates the processes that occur there, contributing to ecosystem conservation, pollution, and erosion reduction. Briefly, a typical FTW is composed of a floating structure and plants that interact with microorganisms, water, and the surrounding environment to remove contaminants. In the Brazilian semi-arid region, characterized by natural drought processes, the use of this technology helps mitigate challenges related to water security and quality. This study conducted a survey of selected plant species that can be used in the development of FTW projects in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Through the Web of Science and Google Scholar platforms, 12 publications were collected using the keywords Wetlands, Floating Treatment Wetlands, Phytoremediation, and Brazilian Semi-arid. The species Cyperus papyrus (33%), Canna x generalis (33%), Tradescantia zebrina (25%), Eichornia crassipes (25%), and Iris pseudacorus (25%) had the highest number of applications and best adaptation; 17% of the studies utilized the species Typha domingensis, Solms and Chrysopogon zizanioides. The results indicate that FTW needs to be further explored through studies on native plants and specific analyses focused on their evaluation.

Acknowledgments: Batista, G. S. is thankful the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.