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Constructed Wetlands and Emerging Pollutants
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Constructed Wetlands and Emerging Pollutants

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 977

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yaqian Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
2. School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Interests: constructed wetland; wastewater treatment; emerging pollutants, adsorption
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Cheng Shen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-Treatment of Waste Biomass, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
Interests: constructed wetland; PFAS; microplastics; biochar
Dr. Ting Wei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
Interests: environmental pollution; water and wastewater treatment; constructed wetland; bioelectrical chemistry; modular wastewater treatment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite contributions for a Special Issue on the role of constructed wetlands in tackling emerging pollutants in water treatment, seeking to gather the latest research and innovative practices in response to rising global water quality concerns. We encourage submissions that explore, but are not limited to, the following topics:

(i) The effectiveness of constructed wetlands in removing emerging pollutants, including pharmaceuticals (PhCs), personal care products (PCPs), microplastics (MPs), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), etc.;

(ii) Comparative studies on the performance of various wetland designs and configurations in treating wastewater with high concentrations of emerging pollutants;

(iii) The role of vegetation and microbial communities in enhancing the degradation of emerging pollutants within constructed wetlands;

(iv) The integration of constructed wetlands into broader water management frameworks to improve sustainability and public health.

This Special Issue responds to ongoing discussions in the water treatment community about innovative solutions for modern water quality challenges. We welcome interdisciplinary contributions from researchers, practitioners, and policymakers focused on constructed wetlands and emerging pollutants.

Prof. Dr. Yaqian Zhao
Dr. Cheng Shen
Dr. Ting Wei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • constructed wetlands
  • emerging pollutants
  • wastewater treatment

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 6085 KiB  
Article
The Removal of Acidic Drugs from Domestic Wastewater Using an Innovative System of Constructed Wetlands/Stabilization Ponds in Series
by Elvia Gallegos-Castro, Cristina E. Almeida-Naranjo, Armando Rivas, Nancy Figueroa, Leticia Montellano and Cristina Alejandra Villamar-Ayala
Water 2025, 17(8), 1192; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17081192 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 266
Abstract
Nature-based solutions represent a decentralized wastewater treatment proposal, offering diverse mechanisms for effectively removing emerging contaminants, particularly acidic pharmaceuticals. This study evaluated the performance of acidic-drug (diclofenac, fenofibrate, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, fenoprofen, naproxen, and indomethacin) removal from wastewater using a surface-flow constructed wetland with [...] Read more.
Nature-based solutions represent a decentralized wastewater treatment proposal, offering diverse mechanisms for effectively removing emerging contaminants, particularly acidic pharmaceuticals. This study evaluated the performance of acidic-drug (diclofenac, fenofibrate, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, fenoprofen, naproxen, and indomethacin) removal from wastewater using a surface-flow constructed wetland with an organic bed (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, 18 ind/m2), and a horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetland, divided into three sections. The process was complemented by two stabilization ponds and other horizontal subsurface-flow wetlands using papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L., 8–13 ind/m2) and tezontle as support media. The industrial-scale system (67.8 m2) was fed with wastewater at a rate of 1.33 m3/d with a hydraulic time retention of about 5.8 days. Drugs were quantified by gas chromatography. The results showed that gemfibrozil and indomethacin were completely removed (100%), while diclofenac (73%) and naproxen (94%) showed significant removals. Fenoprofen was not removed. Ibuprofen and fenofibrate showed increased concentrations, resulting in negative removals due to anoxic conditions (ibuprofen) and a slightly neutral pH (fenofibrate). These findings underscore the system’s ability to improve water quality by removing most acidic drugs, suggesting that the hybrid design is particularly effective in treating specific wastewater contaminants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Constructed Wetlands and Emerging Pollutants)
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13 pages, 1634 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Effect of Aeration on Residence Time Distribution of a Baffled Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland
by Jiahao Wei, Sarah Cotterill and Jennifer Keenahan
Water 2025, 17(8), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17081175 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 207
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are cost-effective and sustainable systems for wastewater treatment, but their hydraulic performance remains a critical challenge. In this study, a lab-scale baffled horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland was modeled using Computational Fluid Dynamics to investigate the effects of aeration strategies [...] Read more.
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are cost-effective and sustainable systems for wastewater treatment, but their hydraulic performance remains a critical challenge. In this study, a lab-scale baffled horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland was modeled using Computational Fluid Dynamics to investigate the effects of aeration strategies on hydraulic performance, focusing on aeration rates and positions. A gas–liquid two-phase flow system was modeled using the Euler–Euler approach with the Darcy–Forchheimer model in OpenFOAM, simulating 15 cases with varying aeration rates (0.1–0.3 m3/day) and positions (middle of channels vs. bends at the ends of baffles). Results show that the introduction of aeration influenced hydraulic efficiency (HE) and the Morrill Dispersion Index (MDI). Without aeration, the baseline HE was already high (HE = 0.9297) due to the optimized baffle configuration. However, aeration further improved performance, with HE increasing to 0.9594 and MDI decreasing from 1.6087 to 1.4000 when aeration was applied at bends (Position C) at 0.3 m3/day. Aeration at bends was more effective than mid-channel aeration, promoting uniform flow distribution and reducing short-circuiting. These findings highlight the importance of aeration positioning and provide insights for optimizing CW design to balance energy consumption and hydraulic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Constructed Wetlands and Emerging Pollutants)
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Review

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22 pages, 2259 KiB  
Review
Leading Techniques for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) Remediating in Water and Wastewater
by Zhenzhen Chen, Yaqian Zhao, Ting Wei and Cheng Shen
Water 2025, 17(9), 1319; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091319 - 28 Apr 2025
Viewed by 258
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), a class of synthetic organic compounds since the 1940s, have become widespread and persistent environmental pollutants. Due to their high chemical stability, bioaccumulation potential, and extensive industrial and household applications, PFASs have drawn significant attention from researchers worldwide [...] Read more.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), a class of synthetic organic compounds since the 1940s, have become widespread and persistent environmental pollutants. Due to their high chemical stability, bioaccumulation potential, and extensive industrial and household applications, PFASs have drawn significant attention from researchers worldwide in recent years, while PFASs have become a hot topic, and the publications are updated very quickly. Various remediation technologies, including adsorption, pyrolysis, biodegradation, and advanced oxidation, have been developed and treated as the leading techniques to mitigate PFAS contamination. Other alternative techniques are foam fractionation, constructed wetland, and piezoelectric ball milling. However, the effectiveness of these methods varies depending on their reaction mechanisms, operational conditions, and environmental factors. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the latest advancements in PFASs removal strategies, highlighting their advantages, limitations, and potential synergies. Furthermore, future research directions and technological developments are discussed to explore more efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions for PFASs remediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Constructed Wetlands and Emerging Pollutants)
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