Characteristics of pollutants behavior in a stormwater constructed wetland during dry days

Abstract

A stormwater wetland treating non-point source pollution (NPS) from a 64 ha agricultural watershed was monitored over a period of five months. The results indicated that pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) were increased in the wetland due to the algal growth. The highest total suspended solids (TSS) concentration was observed in the aeration pond due to the resuspension of solids, decreased in the wetland. The respective decreases in total nitrogen (TN) and total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) were 15.9% and 28.7% on passing through the wetland. The nitrate and ammonia were increased by 45.4% and decreased by 79.9%, respectively. These variations provided strong evidence for the existence of nitrification. The total phosphorus (TP) and phosphate had respective reductions of 52.3% and 58.2% over the wetland. The total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) and soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) were also decreased. Generally, the TN, TP and phosphate removal efficiencies were positive. These positive removal efficiencies were mainly due to microbial activities, uptake by plants, and chemical precipitation at high pH. Negative removal efficiencies can be caused by continuous rainfall activities, with short antecedent dry days (ADDs) and unstable hydraulic conditions, some other biogeochemical transformations and algal growth also being important parameters.

Keywords

constructed stormwater wetland / dry days / nitrification and denitrification / pollutants characteristic

References

[1] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Considerations in the Design of Treatment Best Management Practices (BMPs) to Improve Water Quality. EPA/600/R-03/103. Cincinnati, OH: USEPA, 2000

[2] Ouyang Y, Luo S M, Cui L H. Estimation of nitrogen dynamics in a vertical-flow constructed wetland. Ecological Engineering, 2011, 37(3): 453-459

[3] Li X, Chen M, Anderson B C. Design and performance of a water quality treatment wetland in a public park in Shanghai, China. Ecological Engineering, 2009, 35(1): 18-24

[4] Yi Q, Yu J, Kim Y. Removal patterns of particulate and dissolved forms of pollutants in a stormwater wetland. Water Science & Technology, 2010, 61(8): 2083-2096

[5] Yates C R, Prasher S O. Phosphorus reduction from agricultural runoff in a pilot-scale surface-flow constructed wetland. Ecological Engineering, 2009, 35(12):1693-1701

[6] Fink D F, Mitsch W J. Seasonal and storm event nutrient removal by a created wetland in an agricultural watershed. Ecological Engineering, 2004, 23(4-5): 313-325

[7] Kadlec R H. Pond and wetland treatment. Water Science & Technology, 2003, 48(5): 1-8

[8] Kadlec R H. Treatment Wetlands. New York: CRC Press, 2009

[9] Fink D F, Mitsch W J. Hydrology and nutrient biogeochemistry in a created rive diversion oxbow wetland. Ecological Engineering, 2007, 30(2): 93-102

[10] Carleton J N, Grizzard T J, Godrej A N, Post H E. Factors affecting the performance of stormwater treatment wetlands. Water Research, 2001, 35(6): 1552-1562

[11] Li Y, Deletic A, Fletcher T D. Modeling wet weather sediment removal by stormwater constructed wetlands: insights from a laboratory study. Journal of Hydrology (Amsterdam), 2007, 338(3-4): 285-296

[12] Terzakis S, Fountoulakis M S, Georgaki I, Albantakis D, Sabathianakis I, Karathanasis A, Kalogerakis N, Manios T, Karathanasis A D, Kalogerakis N, Manios T. Constructed wetlands treating highway runoff in the central Mediterranean region. Chomosphere, 2008, 72(2): 141-149

[13] Lu S T, Wu F C, Xiang C S, Jin C X. Phosphorus removal from agricultural runoff by constructed wetland. Ecological Engineering, 2009, 35(3): 402-409

[14] APHA, AWWA, WEF. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 19th ed. Washington, DC: APHA/AWWA/WEF, 1995

[15] Vymazal J. Removal of nutrients in various types of constructed wetlands. Science of the Total Environment, 2007, 380(1-3): 48-65

[16] Bucksteeg K. German experiences with sewage treatment ponds. Water Science & Technology, 1987, 19(12): 17-23

[17] Tchobanoglous G, Burton F L, Stensel H D. Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse. New York: Mcgraw-Hill, 2003

[18] Maltais-Landry G, Maranger R, Brisson J, Chazarenc F. Nitrogen transformations and retention in planted and artificially aerated constructed wetlands. Water Research, 2009, 43(2): 535-545

[19] Thorén A K, Legrand C, Tonderski K S. Temporal export of nitrogen from a constructed wetland: influence of hydrology and senescing submerged plants. Ecological Engineering, 2004, 23(4-5): 233-249

[20] Braskerud B C. Factors affecting nitrogen retention in small constructed wetlands treating agricultural non-point source pollution. Ecological Engineering, 2002, 18(3): 351-370

[21] Nairn R W, Mitsch W J. Phosphorus removal in created wetland ponds receiving river overflow. Ecological Engineering, 1999, 14(1-2): 107-126

[22] Adey W H, Luckett C, Jensen K. Phosphorus removal from natural waters using controlled algal production. Restoration Ecology, 1993, 1(1): 29-39

Acknowledgements

This research was funded supported by Korea Ministry of Environment as “The Eco-Innovation Project”.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg