A group from Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania and the University of Oklahoma has found that engineered floating wetlands show promise for water treatment. They can improve water quality just like natural wetlands–for example, by helping treat municipal wastewater by enhancing nitrogen removal, managing algal blooms by helping regulate water temperature and solar radiation, and providing habitat for fish, insects, birds and other creatures.

Getting the floating wetlands to sustain themselves with minimal maintenance is the main goal of this research.

Caption: The floating treatment wetland experiment at the University of Oklahoma Aquatic Research Facility. (Photo Credit: William Strosnider)