Pollutants Removal from Wastewater Using Constructed Wetlands

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 14256

Special Issue Editor

Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Applied Ecology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: water quality; environmental impact assessment; environment; ecosystem ecology; water treatment; biodiversity; wastewater treatment; ecology; water analysis; water and wastewater treatment
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the early 1950s, the first experiments on the use of wetland plants to treat wastewater were carried out by Dr. Käthe Seidel in Germany. The first full-scale constructed wetlands (CW) were put into operation in the Netherlands in 1967. After slowly spreading in the 1970s and 1980s, CWs became international in the 1990s with more and more interaction among scientists and engineers all over the world, and they have continued to grow in popularity since. Currently, CWs are recognized as a reliable wastewater treatment technology and represent a suitable solution for the treatment of many types of wastewater, such as domestic wastewater, stormwater, agricultural drainage, industry effluent, landfill leachate, activated sludge, and so on. They have been considered a cost-efficient nature-based technology for the removal of traditional pollutants (COD, BOD, nitrogen, phosphorus) with various types. Additionally, CWs are flexible and can be easily adapted to new applications, including the removal of contaminants of emerging concern.

This Special Issue will become a platform for the exchange of experiences and valuable observations of researchers in the field of constructed wetlands research. It will concentrate on highlighting timely research studies addressing the removal of various pollutants in CWs. This Special Issue welcomes submissions covering a broad range of topics related to CW applications for water and wastewater purification, bringing new insights into the treatment performance of different pollutants as well as their removal mechanisms in CWs. Review papers, research papers, and case studies are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Zhongbing Chen
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Constructed wetlands
  • Floating treatment wetlands
  • Sludge treatment wetland
  • Wastewater treatment
  • Pollutants’ removal
  • Heavy metals
  • Contaminants of emerging concern

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2586 KiB  
Article
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal Efficiency and Denitrification Kinetics of Different Substrates in Constructed Wetland
by Yinjin Zeng, Weibin Xu, Han Wang, Dan Zhao and Hui Ding
Water 2022, 14(11), 1757; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14111757 - 30 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3123
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are generally used for wastewater treatment and removing nitrogen and phosphorus. However, the treatment efficiency of CWs is limited due to the poor performance of various substrates. To find appropriate substrates of CWs for micro-polluted water treatment, zeolite, quartz sand, [...] Read more.
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are generally used for wastewater treatment and removing nitrogen and phosphorus. However, the treatment efficiency of CWs is limited due to the poor performance of various substrates. To find appropriate substrates of CWs for micro-polluted water treatment, zeolite, quartz sand, bio-ceramsite, porous filter, and palygorskite self-assembled composite material (PSM) were used as filtering media to treat slightly polluted water with the aid of autotrophic denitrifying bacteria. PSM exhibited the most remarkable nitrogen and phosphorus removal performance among these substrates. The average removal efficiencies of ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus of PSM were 66.4%, 58.1%, and 85%, respectively. First-order continuous stirred-tank reactor (first-order-CSTR) and Monod continuous stirred-tank reactor (Monod-CSTR) models were established to investigate the kinetic behavior of denitrification nitrogen removal processes using different substrates. Monod-CSTR model was proven to be an accurate model that could simulate nitrate nitrogen removal performance in vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCWs). Moreover, PSM demonstrated significant pollutant removal capacity with the kinetics coefficient of 2.0021 g/m2 d. Hence, PSM can be considered as a promising new type of substrate for micro-polluted wastewater treatment, and Monod-CSTR model can be employed to simulate denitrification processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollutants Removal from Wastewater Using Constructed Wetlands)
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14 pages, 2115 KiB  
Article
Bioaugmentation-Enhanced Remediation of Crude Oil Polluted Water in Pilot-Scale Floating Treatment Wetlands
by Khadeeja Rehman, Muhammad Arslan, Jochen A. Müller, Muhammad Saeed, Asma Imran, Imran Amin, Tanveer Mustafa, Samina Iqbal and Muhammad Afzal
Water 2021, 13(20), 2882; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13202882 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2216
Abstract
Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are cost-effective systems for the remediation of polluted water. In FTWs, the metabolic activity of microorganisms associated with plants is fundamental to treatment efficiency. Bioaugmentation, the addition of microorganisms with pollutant-degrading capabilities, appears to be a promising means to [...] Read more.
Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are cost-effective systems for the remediation of polluted water. In FTWs, the metabolic activity of microorganisms associated with plants is fundamental to treatment efficiency. Bioaugmentation, the addition of microorganisms with pollutant-degrading capabilities, appears to be a promising means to enhance the treatment efficiency of FTWs. Here, we quantified the effect of bioaugmentation with a four-membered bacterial consortium on the remediation of water contaminated with crude oil in pilot-scale FTWs planted with Phragmites australis or Typha domingensis. The bacteria had been isolated from the endosphere and rhizosphere of various plants and carry the alkane hydroxylase gene, alkB, involved in aerobic hydrocarbon degradation. During a treatment period of 36 days, FTWs planted with P. australis achieved a reduction in hydrocarbon concentration from 300 mg/L to 16 mg/L with and 56 mg/L without bioaugmentation. In the FTWs planted with T. domingensis, respective hydrocarbon concentrations were 46 mg/L and 84 mg/L. The inoculated bacteria proliferated in the rhizoplane and in the plant interior. Copy numbers of the alkB gene and its mRNA increased over time in plant-associated samples, suggesting increased bacterial hydrocarbon degradation. The results show that bioaugmentation improved the treatment of oil-contaminated water in FTWs by at least a factor of two, indicating that the performance of full-scale systems can be improved at only small costs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollutants Removal from Wastewater Using Constructed Wetlands)
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13 pages, 1717 KiB  
Article
Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Concentration on Phragmites australis and Wastewater Treatment Efficiency in Constructed Wetlands
by Zongshuai Wang, Shuxin Li, Shengqun Liu, Fahong Wang, Lingan Kong, Xiangnan Li and Marian Brestic
Water 2021, 13(18), 2500; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13182500 - 12 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2017
Abstract
Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (e[CO2]) has been predicted to rise to more than 400 ppm by the end of this century. It has received extensive attention with regard to the pros and cons of e[CO2] [...] Read more.
Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (e[CO2]) has been predicted to rise to more than 400 ppm by the end of this century. It has received extensive attention with regard to the pros and cons of e[CO2] effects in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while the effects of e[CO2] on wastewater treatment efficiency in constructed wetlands (CWs) are rarely known. In this study, the atmospheric CO2 concentration was set as 400 ppm (that is, ambient [CO2]) and 800 ppm (that is, e[CO2]). The physiological performance of Phragmites australis and microbial enzyme activities in constructed wetlands in response to e[CO2] were tested. Significantly higher net photosynthetic rate and plant growth were found under e[CO2]. The concentrations of nitrate, total anions, and total ions in the xylem sap of Phragmites australis were reduced, while the uptake of N and P in plants were not affected under e[CO2] condition. In addition, the ammonia monooxygenase activity was reduced, while the phosphatase activity was enhanced by e[CO2]. The increased removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand and total nitrogen in CWs could be ascribed to the changes in physiological performance of Phragmites australis and activities of microbial enzymes under e[CO2]. These results suggested that the future atmospheric CO2 concentration could affect the wastewater treatment efficiency in CWs, due to the direct effects on plants and microorganisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollutants Removal from Wastewater Using Constructed Wetlands)
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13 pages, 2777 KiB  
Article
Wastewater Treatment and Wood Production of Willow System in Cold Climate
by Ganbaatar Khurelbaatar, Manfred van Afferden, Christopher M. Sullivan, Christoph Fühner, Jamsaran Amgalan, Jöerg Londong and Roland Arno Müller
Water 2021, 13(12), 1630; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13121630 - 10 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2509
Abstract
This article studied how wastewater treatment performance of a short rotation forestry system was influenced by the seasonal operational changes under the extreme Mongolian winter conditions. For this reason, two beds planted with Willow (Salix spec.) and Poplar (Populus spec.) trees [...] Read more.
This article studied how wastewater treatment performance of a short rotation forestry system was influenced by the seasonal operational changes under the extreme Mongolian winter conditions. For this reason, two beds planted with Willow (Salix spec.) and Poplar (Populus spec.) trees were operated over a period of two years under two different seasonal conditions: (A) “external winter storage” and (B) “internal winter storage” of pretreated wastewater. For operational condition A, the tree-bed was loaded with wastewater for only 4 summer months. For this operational condition it was considered that the treatment bed was fed with primary treated wastewater, which was stored in a sealed pond during the remaining 8 months. The other Bed B was irrigated throughout the year (12 months) with the same daily loading rate. In winter, the wastewater accumulated as ice in the tree-bed. Bed A, with external winter storage, showed mass removal percentage up to 95%, while the bed with internal winter storage showed mass removal rates up to 86% for pollutants such as COD, BOD5, TN, and TP. A high yield of biomass was recorded for both beds with slight differences. Based on the results, a design recommendation was developed for full-scale systems of short rotation coppice irrigated with wastewater under various operational conditions, which show these systems to be a viable method for treating wastewater and producing biomass for energy production in Mongolia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollutants Removal from Wastewater Using Constructed Wetlands)
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Review

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12 pages, 4783 KiB  
Review
Using Low Molecular Weight Organic Acids to Enhance Microbial Degradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Current Understanding and Future Perspectives
by Lei Zhang, Jie Qiao, Haiyang Cui, Minghui Wang and Xiujuan Li
Water 2021, 13(4), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13040446 - 09 Feb 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2984
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), an organic pollutant with persistence and carcinogenicity, are universally present in the environment and food processing. Biological approaches toward remediating PAHs-contaminated sites are a viable, economical, and environmentally friendly alternative compared to conventional physical and/or chemical remediation methods. Recently, [...] Read more.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), an organic pollutant with persistence and carcinogenicity, are universally present in the environment and food processing. Biological approaches toward remediating PAHs-contaminated sites are a viable, economical, and environmentally friendly alternative compared to conventional physical and/or chemical remediation methods. Recently, various strategies relating to low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) have been developed to enhance the microbial degradation of PAHs. However, the remaining challenge is to reveal the role of LMWOAs in the PAHs biodegradation process, and the latter limits researchers from expanding the application scope of biodegradation. In this mini-review, we summarized the current understanding of the impact of LMWOAs on (1) the physicochemical behavior of PAHs in the extracellular environment; (2) the interactions between PAHs and the microbial cell surface; and (3) the intracellular metabolization of PAHs. Future perspectives for this field are discussed in this review as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollutants Removal from Wastewater Using Constructed Wetlands)
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