Artificial floating islands for water quality improvement

Artificial floating islands (AFIs) are a variation of wetland treatment systems for water quality improvement. This paper provides a review concerning AFIs in terms of their development, classification, and applications in the removal of nutrients, heavy metals, and chemical oxygen demand on waterways. The role of microorganisms, aquatic plants, and aquatic animals in AFIs for water decontamination and purification was also discussed. Additionally, some key factors influencing the AFIs' performances were discussed and comparisons between AFIs and constructed wetlands were reviewed. Finally, further perspectives of artificial floating islands were identified to possibly improve their performances. The understanding of the mechanisms in AFIs that drive removal of various contaminants to improve water quality is crucial, and is also highlighted in this paper.