Effect of wastewater step-feeding on removal efficiency of pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands

The performance of a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) constructed wetland is investigated with emphasis on the effects of wastewater step-feeding. One pilot-scale unit, of dimensions 3 m in length and 0.75 m in width, operated continuously from January 2004 until February 2007. The unit contained cobbles obtained from a river bed and was planted with common reed (Phragmites australis). Synthetic wastewater was introduced to the unit. During the first two years of operation (period A) one inflow point was used at the upstream end of the unit. During the third year of operation (period B), wastewater step-feeding was adopted. Wastewater was introduced to the unit through three inlet points: one at the upstream end of the unit length and the other two at 1/3 and 2/3 of the unit length. Two wastewater step-feeding schemes were examined during the second working period: 33:33:33 and 60:25:15. Three HRTs (6, 8 and 14 days) were applied; wastewater temperatures varied from 6.0 to 25.0 °C. On the whole, the adoption of step-feeding in a HSF CW may be positive if an appropriate scheme is selected. Indeed, the removal of organic matter (BOD₅ and COD), nitrogen (TKN and ammonia) and phosphorus (Total Phosphorus and ortho-phosphate) was improved under the step-feeding Scheme 60:25:15, while the other scheme (33:33:33) affected negatively the wetland performance.     

Effect of temperature,HRT, vegetation and porous media on removal efficiency of pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands

In order to investigate the effect of temperature, hydraulic residence time (HRT), vegetation type and porous media material and grain size on the performance of horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) constructed wetlands treating wastewater, five pilot-scale units of dimensions 3 m in length and 0.75 m in width were operated continuously from January 2004 until January 2006 in parallel experiments. Three units contained medium gravel obtained from a quarry. The other two contained one fine gravel and one cobbles, both obtained from a river bed. The three units with medium gravel were planted one with common reeds and one with cattails, and one was kept unplanted. The other two units were planted with common reeds. Planting and porous media combinations were appropriate for comparison of the effect of vegetation and media type on the function of the system. Synthetic wastewater was introduced in the units. During the operation period, four HRTs (i.e., 6, 8, 14 and 20 days) were used, while wastewater temperatures varied from about 2.0 to 26.0 °C. The removal performance of the constructed wetland units was very good, since it reached on an average 89, 65 and 60% for BOD, TKN and ortho-phosphate (P-PO₄³⁻), respectively. All pollutant removal efficiencies showed dependence on temperature. It seems that the 8-day HRT was adequate for acceptable removal of organic matter, TKN and P-PO₄³⁻ for temperatures above 15 °C. Furthermore, based on statistical testing, cattails, finer media and media obtained from a river showed higher removal efficiencies of TKN and P-PO₄³⁻.     

A comparison of bacterial removal efficiencies in constructed wetlands and algae-based systems

Constructed wetlands and algae-based systems have been compared regarding their efficiencies on faecal bacteria removal. Two types of constructed wetlands, sub-surface (SSF) and free water surface (FWS) flow systems, and two more types of algae-based systems, high rate algae ponds (HRAP) and maturation pond (MP) have been studied for two years. All systems treated the same wastewater from a rural locality in León (northwest of Spain). Hydraulic retention time was 3 days for both wetland systems, 20 days for the maturation pond and 10 days for the high rate algae pond. Total coliforms, faecal coliforms, faecal Streptococci, Clostridium perfringens, and Staphylococci were analyzed in the influent and effluents of each system. A comparison among the wetland systems showed that SSF were more efficient than FWS system when considering surface removal rates (cfu removed/m²/d). Nevertheless, differences were not statistically significant. Considering mean removal efficiencies (in log unit), results showed that higher reductions were observed in FWS for most of the groups except for clostridia and Staphylococci. Concerning algae-based systems, MP showed higher removal efficiencies than HRAP, getting higher surface removal rates in the HRAP. Generally constructed wetlands were more efficient than algae-based systems when considering both, efficiencies in % and surface removal rates.     

Effect of operational parameters on Coulombic efficiency in bioelectrochemical systems

To create an efficient bioelectrochemical system, a high Coulombic efficiency is required. This efficiency is a direct measure for the competition between electrogens and methanogens when acetate is used as substrate. In this study the Coulombic efficiency in a microbial electrolysis cell was investigated. As a result of an increase in substrate concentration from 1 to 35 mM, the current density increased to 21.1A/m(2), while the Coulombic efficiency decreased to 52%. As a result of an increase in anode potential from -450 to -0.250 mV, the current density increased to 20.9A/m(2), while the Coulombic efficiency increased 21%. Knowledge about the substrate affinity and growth kinetics is crucial to control the Coulombic efficiency. Further research is required to optimize strategies to find a balance between the Coulombic efficiency, current density and removal rate of organic material.     

模拟人工湿地中植物多样性配置对硝态氮去除的影响

为检验植物多样性对人工湿地脱氮功能的影响,在模拟人工湿地试验系统中设置了植物单种和混种处理并定期供给氮形态仅为硝态氮的模拟污水。结果表明:混种系统的出水硝态氮浓度显著低于单种(P<0.05);混种与单种系统在基质氮含量和植物氮积累量上无统计差异;质量平衡分析表明混种促进系统反硝化强度;菩提子单种系统中的硝态氮移除能力显著高于香蒲、芦苇和菖蒲单种系统,后3种硝态氮移除能力则无显著差异。本研究可为人工湿地选择高效物种、多样性配置以提高氮去除率提供依据。     

人工湿地对氮、磷的去除效率与动态特征

1999年1月~2003年12月对荣成人工湿地污水处理系统处理效果以及氮、磷去除效果的动态变化特征进行分析。结果表明,人工湿地对SS、COD、BOD均有很好的去除效果,出水浓度分别为27·8±6·7、91·0±13·7和23·8±4·6mg·L-1,去除率分别为71·8±8·4%、62·2±10·1%和70·4±9·6%。大肠菌群去除率为99·7%。对NH4+-N和TP去除效果较差,出水浓度分别为11·3±2·6和2·00±0·28mg·L-1,去除率分别为40·6±15·3%和29·6±12·8%。NH4+-N去除效果和季节变化有关,每年7~9月去除效果最佳,1~3月效果最差,去除率分别为50·7±12·4%和23·0±11·6%。TP的去除效果季节性变化不如NH4+-N明显。NH4+-N年平均去除率2001~2003年逐年增加。TP年平均去除率在2001和2002年基本相同,2003年有所降低。     

Treatment of olive mill wastewater in pilot-scale vertical flow constructed wetlands

Pilot-scale constructed wetlands (CW) were constructed and operated to treat pre-treated olive mill wastewater. Pilot-scale units comprising three identical series with four pilot-scale vertical flow CWs were operated for one harvest season in a Greek olive mill plant. The pilot-scale CWs were filled with various porous media (i.e., cobble, gravel, and sand) of different gradations. Two series of pilot-scale units were planted with common reeds and the third (control) was unplanted. Mean influent concentrations were 14,120 mg/L, 2841 mg/L, 95 mg/L, 123 mg/L and 506 mg/L for COD, phenols, ortho-phosphate, ammonia and TKN, respectively. Despite the rather high influent concentrations, the performance of the CW units was very effective since it achieved removals of about 70%, 70%, 75% and 87% for COD, phenols, TKN and ortho-phosphate, respectively. COD, phenol and TKN removal seems to be significantly higher in the planted series, while ortho-phosphate removal shows no significant differences among the three series. Temperature and pollutant surface load seem to affect the removal efficiency of all pollutants. Compared to previous studies, pollutant surface loads applied here were higher (by one or two orders of magnitude). Even though high removal efficiencies were achieved, effluent pollutant concentrations remained high, thus preventing their use for irrigation or immediate disposal into the environment.     

Ethanol degradation and the benefits of incremental priming in pilot-scale constructed wetlands

There has been significant global growth in the use of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. The fundamental microbial processes involved in the biodegradation of organic wastewater pollutants determine the range of design and operational parameters relevant to individual constructed wetlands. In this study, the biodegradation and mineralization of ethanol by acclimated and non-acclimated microbial populations in pilot-scale constructed wetlands were compared. By increasing the pollutant concentration at incremental intervals (incremental priming), the biodegradative capacity of a sand-filled constructed wetland was significantly enhanced. At an influent COD concentration of 15,800 mg L⁻¹, no volatile fatty acids were detected in the effluent of an incrementally primed system and the maximum effluent COD concentration was 180 mg L⁻¹. In contrast, an identical, unprimed system, amended with a lower concentration of COD (7587 mg L⁻¹), exhibited a maximum effluent COD concentration of 1400 mg L⁻¹, with the anaerobic metabolites, butyrate and propionate accounting for up to 83% of the effluent COD. It was demonstrated that the use of incremental priming, together with a vertical subsurface flow mode of operation enhanced long-term function of constructed wetlands. Future research should focus on determining the concentration gradients and incremental intervals necessary for optimal microbial acclimation to a range of organic pollutants and/or wastewaters, in order to minimize start-up times without significantly impairing the benefits derived from incremental priming.     

Contaminant removal efficiency depending on primary treatment and operational strategy in horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetlands

This study aimed to evaluate the contaminant removal efficiency of shallow horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetlands (SSF TWs) as a function of (1) primary treatment (hydrolytic upflow sludge blanket (HUSB) reactor vs. conventional settling) and (2) operation strategy (alternation of saturated/unsaturated phases vs. permanently saturated). An experimental plant was constructed, operated and surveyed for the main water quality parameters over a period of 2.5 years. The plant had 3 treatment lines: a control line (settler-wetland permanently saturated), a batch line (settler-wetland operated with saturated/unsaturated phases) and an anaerobic line (HUSB reactor-wetland permanently saturated). In each line wetlands had a surface area of 2.80 m², a water depth of 25 cm and a granular medium D₆₀ = 7.3 mm, and were planted with common reed. During the study period the wetlands were operated at a hydraulic and organic load of 28.5 mm/d and about 4.7 g BOD/m² d, respectively. Effluent average redox potential was lower for the anaerobic line (−45 ± 78 mV) than for the other two lines (3 ± 92.7 and −5 ± 71 mV for control and batch, respectively). Overall, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) and ammonium mass removal efficiencies were slightly greater for the batch line (88%, 96% and 87%, respectively) than for the control line (83%, 94% and 80%) and the anaerobic line (80%, 87% and 73%). During cold seasons, COD and ammonium removal in the batch line was around 30% and 50% higher than in the control line, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the implementation of a HUSB reactor as primary treatment did not enhance the treatment capacity of the system (in comparison with a conventional settler). The efficiency of treatment wetland systems with horizontal subsurface flow can be improved using a batch operation strategy.     

Plant photosynthesis and its influence on removal efficiencies in constructed wetlands

The photosynthetic characteristics of several wetland plants and their influence on oxygen-evolving activities and disposal efficiencies of horizontal flow subsurface constructed wetlands were compared. The results indicated that the photosynthetic rate of wetlands plants was highly correlated with light intensity and temperature. The photosynthetic characteristics of wetlands species can affect their ability to provide oxygen, and this ultimately influences their disposal efficiencies. Observations indicated that the ability of wetland plants to provide oxygen and remove pollutants decreases in the following order: Phragmites > Canna > Camellia > Dracaena.     

Improving the treatment efficiency of constructed wetlands with zeolite-containing filter sands

In this study the physical and chemical properties of three different lava sands used in constructed wetlands for municipal wastewater treatment were investigated. The aim was to identify those properties and mechanisms that render lava sands as highly efficient filter media which could substitute conventional, fluviatile sands. It was shown that although lava sands per se may be suitable filter materials, the presence of zeolite minerals within the lava sands enhances the purification efficiency tremendously. Zeolites not only increase the sorption capacity, but even more important, they are able to absorb water in large amounts, which in turn leads to stronger swelling. The latter reduces hydrological conductivity considerably, resulting in a longer contact time to eliminate pollutants. A simple mineralogical survey of filter materials for the presence of zeolites may render many installations of constructed wetlands successful.     

Influence of design and operational parameters on the pathogens reduction in constructed wetland under the climate change scenario

Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology - Under the climate change scenario, constructed wetlands (CWs) as an engineered system for treating domestic wastewater will face different...     

Effects of plant and influent C:N:P ratio on microbial diversity in pilot-scale constructed wetlands

Microbial processes within the rhizosphere of constructed wetlands are crucial to wastewater treatment, but the relation between microbial community diversity in rhizosphere, plant growth and water quality are unclear at present. The effects of plant growth, water C:N:P ratio and their interaction on microbial diversity in the rhizosphere were studied in synthetic wastewater in planted and unplanted wetlands during three different seasons. The physiological profile of microbial community-level in each wetland was assessed using substrate utilization patterns gathered via BIOLOG? ECO plates. Plant had a significant effect on AWCD parameter, since the planted wetlands usually had a higher the total microbial activity than the unplanted over the study period. The Shannon, Simpson and McIntosh indices in the planted wetlands were apparently higher than those in the unplanted wetlands under any C:N:P ratio influent condition especially in summer. It was also shown that the unplanted wetlands have a greater shift of the interstitial microbial community than the planted at different seasons, since plant rhizospheres produce a more ecologically stable system in order to resist against shifts in microbial community composition in response to C:N:P ratio change in wastewater. Principal component analysis and clustering analysis indicated that influent C:N:P ratio would induce similar microbial species in the planted wetlands and detach them from the unplanted wetlands.     

Statistical modelling of organic matter and emerging pollutants removal in constructed wetlands

Multiple regression models, clustering tree diagrams, regression trees (CHAID) and redundancy analysis (RDA) were applied to the study of the removal of organic matter and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from urban wastewater by means of constructed wetlands (CWs). These four statistical analyses pointed out the importance of physico-chemical parameters, plant presence and chemical structure in the elimination of most pollutants. Temperature, pH values, dissolved oxygen concentration, redox potential and conductivity were related to the removal of the studied substances. Plant presence (Typha angustifolia and Phragmites australis) enhanced the removal of organic matter and some PPCPs. Multiple regression equations and CHAID trees provided numerical estimations of pollutant removal efficiencies in CWs. These models were validated and they could be a useful and interesting tool for the quick estimation of removal efficiencies in already working CWs and for the design of new systems which must fulfil certain quality requirements.     

抚仙湖窑泥沟人工湿地的除磷效果研究

为了减缓和控制抚仙湖局部湖湾水体富营养化趋势,在抚仙湖北岸建设了净化面积1 hm²的人工湿地.综合利用生物氧化塘、水平潜流人工湿地和表面流人工湿地治理技术,对入湖河道窑泥沟污水中磷的去除效果进行了试验研究.结果表明,该人工湿地系统对磷具有较强的去除能力.总磷去除率在57.7%～81.10%之间,平均去除率为54.9%.单位面积磷滞留量平均为26 mg·m^-2·d^-1,其中,湿地植物同化作用磷滞留量为26.1 mg·m^-2·d^-1,约占磷滞留总量的10%,大部分磷去除是通过基质吸附和沉降作用,但主要湿地植物水芹的季节变化对相应功能区的除磷效果会产生一定影响.试验期间,各功能区单位面积磷滞留量依次为水平潜流人工湿地＞生物氧化塘＞沉淀池＞表面流人工湿地.     

Dependence between quality and removal effectiveness of organic matter in hybrid constructed wetlands

The operation of three hybrid constructed wetland systems composed with vertical flow (VF-CW) and horizontal flow (HF-CW) constructed wetlands was analysed. The analyses were carried out in two wetlands (CWs) located in northern Poland: in Wiklino and Wieszyno and one in Wiedersberg in Germany. The wetlands were supplied with domestic sewage after mechanical treatment. It was proved that the decomposition rate of organic matter was determined by proportions of organic hardly decomposed (COD-X(S)) and non-decomposed (COD-X(I)) suspension. It was proved that increase of organic matter (OM) concentration in filter material of first beds in plants: Wiklino and Wieszyno caused clogging and decreased removal efficiency. In the two-years long study no accumulation of organic matter in the VF-CW in Wiedersberg was observed. Therefore, the aerobic conditions maintained in the bed enabled efficient decomposition of soluble organic easy-to-decompose fraction (COD-S(S))and COD-X(S) and no accumulation of OM was observed. The effectiveness of COD removal in the VF-CW in Wiklino and Wieszyno was lower in comparison to Wiedersberg, which was due to lower biodegradation potential of treated sewage (in Wiklino) and accumulation of OM in the sub-surface bed layer, resulting in pores clogging and reduction of air inflow (in Wieszyno).     

多点进水潜流湿地的水力效率及氮浓度空间变化

通过脉冲示踪实验比较了3种多点进水方式和一般推流式的水力效率,通过脱氮实验获得不同水力效率下总氮和铵态氮浓度的空间分布,并对水力效率和脱氮效率进行了相关性分析。结果表明:4种布水方式中,阶梯进水方式的有效体积比和水力效率均最高,此时潜流湿地系统内部水流停留时间分散程度较低,水流混合流动程度较弱,更接近于推流;不同布水方式下总氮在潜流湿地中的空间分布差异比铵态氮明显,阶梯进水方式有利于湿地后段的反硝化脱氮作用;水力效率与总氮去除率存在极显著的相关性,而与铵态氮的去除相关性不显著。