Nitrogen mass balance and microbial analysis of constructed wetlands treating municipal landfill leachate.

Experiments were conducted to investigate the feasibility of applying constructed wetlands (CW) to treat a sanitary landfill leachate containing high nitrogen (TN) and bacterial contents. Under the tropical conditions (temperature of about 30 degres C), the CW units operating at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 days yielded the best treatment efficiencies with BOD5 removal of 91%, TN removal of 96%, total and fecal coliforms (TC and FC) removal of more than 99%. Cadmium removal in the in the SFCW bed was found to be 99.7%. Mass balance analysis, based on TN contents of the plant biomass and dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation - reduction potential (ORP) values, suggested that 88% of the input TN were uptaken by the plant biomass. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) results revealed the predominance of bacteria including the heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria responsible for BOD5 removal. Nitrifying bacteria was not found to be present in the SSFCW beds.     

Distribution and removal efficiency of heavy metals in two constructed wetlands treating landfill leachate

The results of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Pb, Cd) removal and partitioning between aqueous and solid phases at two treatment wetlands (TWs) treating municipal landfill leachates are presented. One of the TWs is a surface flow facility consisting of 10 ponds. The other TW is a newly constructed pilot-scale facility consisting of three beds with alternately vertical and horizontal subsurface flow. The metals concentrations were analysed in leachate (both TWs) and bottom sediments (surface flow TW). Very high (90.9-99.9%) removal rates of metals were observed in a mature surface flow TW. The effectiveness of metals removal in a newly constructed pilot-scale sub-surface flow wetland were considerably lower (range 0-73%). This is attributed to young age of the TW, different hydraulic conditions (sub-surface flow system with much shorter retention time, unoxic conditions) and presence of metallic complexes with refractory organic matter.     

A mass balance study on nitrification and deammonification in vertical flow constructed wetlands treating landfill leachate.

A laboratory-scale, mass-balance study was carried out on the transformation of nitrogenous pollutants in four vertical flow wetland columns. Landfill leachate containing low organic matter, but a high concentration of ammoniacal-nitrogen, was treated under dissolved oxygen concentrations close to saturation. Influent total nitrogen (TN) comprised ammoniacal-nitrogen with less than 1% nitrate and nitrite, negligible organic nitrogen, and very low BOD. Nitrification occurred in three of the four columns. There was a substantial loss of total nitrogen (52%) in one column, whereas other columns exhibited zero to minor losses (< 12%). Nitrogen loss under study conditions was unexpected. Two hypotheses are proposed to account for it: (1) either the loss of TN is attributed to nitrogen transformation into a form (provisionally termed alpha-nitrogen) that is undetectable by the analytical methods used; or (2) the loss is caused by microbial denitrification or deammonification. By elimination and stoichiometric mass balance calculations, completely autotrophic nitrogen-removal over nitrite (CANON) deammonification is confirmed as responsible for nitrogen loss in one column. This result reveals that CANON can be native to aerobic engineered wetland systems treating high ammonia, low organic content wastewater.     

Nitrogen removal and ammonia-oxidising bacteria in a vertical flow constructed wetland treating inorganic wastewater

Nitrogen removal performance and the ammonia-oxidising bacterial (AOB) community were assessed in the batch loaded 1.3 ha saturated surface vertical flow wetland at CSBP Ltd, a fertiliser and chemical manufacturer located in Kwinana, Western Australia. From September 2008 to October 2009 water quality was monitored and sediment samples collected for bacterial analyses. During the period of study the wetland received an average inflow of 1,109 m3/day with NH3-N = 40 mg/L and NO3-N = 23 mg/L. Effluent NH3-N and NO3-N were on average 31 and 25 mg/L, respectively. The overall NH3-N removal rate for the period was 1.2 g/m2/day indicating the nitrifying capacity of the wetland. The structure of the AOB community was analysed using group specific primers for the ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA) by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and by clone libraries to identify key members. The majority of sequences obtained were most similar to Nitrosomonas sp. while Nitrosospira sp. was less frequent. Another two vertical flow wetlands, 0.8 ha each, were commissioned at CSBP in July 2009, since then the wetland in this study has received nitrified effluent from these two new cells.     

Biodegradation of chlorobenzene in a constructed wetland treating contaminated groundwater.

Monochlorobenzene (MCB) is an important groundwater contaminant world-wide. In this study, a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland with an integrated water compartment was fed with MCB contaminated groundwater originating from the local aquifer. Analysis of spatial concentration dynamics of MCB and oxygen was combined with isotope composition analysis of MCB for assessing in situ biodegradation. Removal of MCB was most effective in the upper layer of the soil filter, reaching up to 77.1%. Trace oxygen concentrations below 0.16 mg L(-1) were observed throughout the wetland transect, suggesting a considerable limitation of aerobic microbial MCB degradation. Enrichment of 13C in the residual MCB fraction at increasing distance from the inflow point indicated microbial MCB degradation in the wetland. The observed isotope shift was higher than expected for aerobic MCB degradation and thus pointed out a significant contribution of an anaerobic degradation pathway to the overall biodegradation.     

Potential nitrification and denitrification and the corresponding composition of the bacterial communities in a compact constructed wetland treating landfill leachates.

Constructed wetlands can be used to decrease the high ammonium concentrations in landfill leachates. We investigated nitrification/denitrification activity and the corresponding bacterial communities in landfill leachate that was treated in a compact constructed wetland, Tveta Recycling Facility, Sweden. Samples were collected at three depths in a filter bed and the sediment from a connected open pond in July, September and November 2004. Potential ammonia oxidation was measured by short-term incubation method and potential denitrification by the acetylene inhibition technique. The ammonia-oxidising and the denitrifying bacterial communities were investigated using group-specific PCR primers targeting 16S rRNA genes and the functional gene nosZ, respectively. PCR products were analysed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and nucleotide sequencing. The same degree of nitrification activity was observed in the pond sediment and at all levels in the filter bed, whereas the denitrification activity decreased with filter bed depth. Denitrification rates were higher in the open pond, even though the denitrifying bacterial community was more diverse in the filter bed. The ammonia-oxidising community was also more varied in the filter bed. In the filter bed and the open pond, there was no obvious relationship between the nitrification/denitrification activities and the composition of the corresponding bacterial communities.     

Nitrogen management in reservoir catchments through constructed wetland systems.

In this study, nitrogen removal was investigated in pilot-scale subsurface flow (SSF) and in free water surface flow (FWS) constructed wetlands installed in the campus of TUBITAK-Marmara Research Center, Gebze, near Istanbul, Turkey. The main purposes of this study are to apply constructed wetlands for the protection of water reservoirs and to reuse wastewater. Experiments were carried out at continuous flow reactors. The effects of the type of plants on the removal were investigated by using emergent (Canna, Cyperus, Typhia spp., Phragmites spp., Juncus, Poaceae, Paspalum and Iris.), submerged (Elodea, Egeria) and floating (Pistia, Salvina and Lemna) marsh plants at different conditions. During the study period HLRs were 30, 50, 70, 80 and 120 L m(2)d(-1) respectively. The average annual NH4-N, NO(3)-N, organic N and TN treatment efficiencies in SSF and FWS wetlands are 81% and 68%, 37% and 49%, 75% and 68%, 47% and 53%, respectively. Nitrification, denitrification and ammonification rate constant (k20) values in SSF and FNS systems have been found as 0.898 d(-1) and 0.541 d(-1), 0.488 d(-1) and 0.502 d(-1), 0.986 d(-1) and 0.908 respectively. Two types of the models (first-order plug flow and multiple regression) were tried to estimate the system performances.     

Performance of constructed wetland treating wastewater from seafood industry.

Wastewater from seafood industry contains high concentrations of organic matter, nitrogen compounds, and solid matter. Constructed wetland can be used as tertiary treatment and for nutrient recycling. This research studied the performance of nitrogen and suspended solids removal efficiency of a constructed wetland treating wastewater from a seafood-processing factory located at Songkhla, southern Thailand. The existing constructed wetland has dimensions of 85 m, 352 m and 1.5 m in width, length and depth respectively, with an area of about 29,920 m2. The water depth of 0.30 m is maintained in operation with plantation of cattails (Typha augustifolia). Flow rate of influent ranged between 500-4,660 m3/d. Average hydraulic retention time in the constructed wetland was about 4.8 days. Influent and effluent from the constructed wetland were collected once a week and analyzed for pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), Suspended solid (SS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), organic nitrogen (Org-N), nitrate (NO3-N), and nitrite (NO2-N). The average removal efficiencies of BOD5, SS, TKN, NH3-N, and Org-N were 84%, 94%, 49%, 52% and 82%, respectively. It was found that the constructed wetland acting as a tertiary treatment process provided additional removal of BOD5, SS and TKN from wastewater from the seafood industry.     

Performance of a constructed wetland for treating farm-yard dirty water

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been used to treat agricultural effluents with varying success especially with respect to their operational efficiency in winter and ability to retain phosphorus. Dirty water (DW) from dairy farms is a mixture of manure contaminated runoff and milk parlour washings with a highly polluting biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) < or =3000 mg/L. The initial performance a CW of a 1.2 ha horizontal flow CW consisting of five ponds in series designed to treat DW from a dairy unit was assessed over four years. Ponds were earth-lined and shallow (0.3 m) with a water residence time of 100 days and planted with five species of emergent macrophytes. In comparison to CW inflow, annual reductions were as follows: BOD 99%, P 95% and N 92.8%. Coliforms were reduced by a 10(-5) factor to natural levels. From May to October there was little CW discharge due to evaporative losses. Final effluent quality was poorest in February but remained within a regulatory effluent standard for BOD of 40 mg/L. If the CW had only four ponds (25% less surface area) effluent would have failed the BOD standard in three years.     

Pesticide retention in the watershed and in a small constructed wetland treating diffuse pollution.

Loss of pesticides is likely from watersheds where pesticides are used. The herbicides propachlor, linuron and metamitron, and the fungicides propiconazole, fenpropimorph and metribuzin and metalaxyl, were applied on an arable soil plot. A mass balance study showed that approximately 96% of the applied pesticides disappeared within the watershed. Three pesticides remained as residuals in the soil profile one year after the application. The 4% of the pesticides that were lost from the watershed gave peak concentrations, appearing immediately after spraying, reaching levels that can be hazardous to aquatic life. The constructed wetland situated in the first-order stream generally managed to lower the peak concentrations significantly. For the summer season, retention varied from 12 to 67% the first year. The second year, we observed both loss and retention. Increasing the wetland surface from 0.2% to 0.4% of the watershed area increased the average retention with 21% units the first year and 9% units the second year. Chemical properties of the pesticides could explain some of the behaviour in the watershed and in the wetland.     

Landfill leachate treatment by an experimental subsurface flow constructed wetland in tropical climate countries.

Municipal leachate was treated in an experimental unit of constructed wetlands of subsurface flow type. The parameters studied were organics (BOD and COD), solids and heavy metals (Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr and Pb). Using two types of emergent plants of Scirpus globulosus and Eriocaulon sexangulare, more than 80% removal was achieved for all the parameters. E. sexangulare removed organics and heavy metals better than Scirpus globulosus. A higher concentration of heavy metals in the influent did not change the removal efficiency.     

Comparison of nutrient cycling in a surface-flow constructed wetland and in a facultative pond treating secondary effluent.

There is a growing interest in the possibilities offered by combinations of waste stabilisation ponds (WSP) and constructed wetlands (CW). The purpose of our study was to compare treatment performances and nutrient cycling in a surface-flow wetland (SFW) and in a WSP treating secondary effluent. In the period between 2000 and 2003, a pilot SFW and a pilot WSP were constructed at the outlet of the wastewater treatment plant and their performance monitored while both were active under the same conditions. The SFW was planted with Phragmites australis and Eichhornia crassipes, while in the WSP development of algae was spontaneous. Performance efficiency was monitored by means of evaluation of physical and chemical parameters in water, by measurement of plant productivity and by analysis of N and P contents in biomass. The SFW with macrophytes proved more efficient in decreasing the suspended solids (64.6%), settleable solids (91.8%), organic N (59.3%), total N (38%), COD (67.2%) and BOD5 (72.1%) than the WSP. The WSP with algae was more efficient in treatment of ammonia nitrogen (48.9%) and ortho-phosphate (43.9%). The results of this study provide data that are of help in optimising combinations of SFW and WSP.     

Ultrasound as a pre-oxidation for biological landfill leachate treatment.

In this study, the effects of low energy ultrasound irradiation on landfill leachate treatment by means of sequencing bath reactor were investigated. The aim of this work was to estimate the influence of leachate irradiation time on aerobic treatment efficiency. The sonification of the leachate was carried out in static conditions using the disintegrator UD-20. The field frequency of 22 kHz (the power output equals to 180 W) and amplitude of 12 microm was applied. The sonification time was changed in the range of 30-140 s. It was found that ultrasonic pretreatment enhances the subsequent aerobic digestion resulting in a better degradation of landfill leachate. The sonification of raw leachate leads to enhancement of COD and ammonia removal as compare to experiment without ultrasound.     

The effect of a vertical flow filter bed on a hybrid constructed wetland system.

Data from 18 sampling wells in Kodij?rve horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) constructed wetland (CW) (South Estonia) is presented and differences in purification efficiencies inside the HSSF CW are calculated. Temporarily anaerobic conditions in the Kodij?rve HSSF system did not allow efficient removal of BOD7, NH4-N, Ntot and Ptot. In 2002 a vertical subsurface flow filter was constructed to enhance aeration. The design of the system was based simply on the oxygen demand of the wastewater and on the aeration potential of vertical flow wetlands. The vertical flow system has shown satisfactory results. The purification efficiency of BOD7 in the Kodij?rve CW has improved significantly and there has been a slight increase in purification efficiencies of NH4-N and Ntot. On the ohther hand, the removal efficiency of Ptot has decreased significantly. Although, the mass loading rates have increased, mass removal rates of all four parameters have improved significantly. Nevertheless, optimization of the constructed wetland system is essential in order to meet effluent standards during wintertime.     

Nitrogen elimination from landfill leachates using an extra carbon source in subsurface flow constructed wetlands.

A three-stage constructed wetland for leachate treatment was monitored on a landfill at a pilot scale. The plant had been designed to achieve at least 75% nitrogen removal. NH4-N input concentration was 240 (median) up to 290 mgl(-1) and COD concentration was 455 to 511 mgl(-1), respectively. A 14 m2 vertical flow sand filter plus a 14 m2 horizontal flow sand filter followed by a 3.3 m2 vertical flow sand filter was chosen. Acetic acid was added to the horizontal flow system for denitrification. The results showed a very stable nitrification rate within the vertical flow system of 94% (median) at NH4-N loading rates of about 10 (median) up to 17 gm(-2)d(-1). Denitrification was mainly dependent on the dosing of acetic acid and could reach a maximum of 98%. One interesting effect was the production of nitrite in the horizontal flow sand filter. This could efficiently be eliminated by the subsequent vertical flow sand filter. The chosen concept proved to be very effective for nitrogen removal. In combination with a final activated carbon filter the COD effluent concentrations could be easily and safely controlled. The design of denitrification reed beds showed a further potential for optimization.     

Nitrogen loss in a nitrifying rotating contactor treating ammonium rich leachate without organic carbon

Extended loss (up to 70%) of nitrogen is observed in a nitrifying rotating biological contactor (RBC) treating ammonium - rich leachate of a hazardous waste landfill. Due to pretreatment (flocculation, BOD-removal, activated carbon) DOC was less than 20 mg/l so heterotrophic denitrification can be excluded. The nitrification rate reaches 3-4 g NH₄-N m⁻² d⁻¹ at a pH of 7-7.3 in the first two of three RBC compartments. An increasing partial pressure of oxygen and ammonium concentration favor nitrogen removal over ammonium oxidation. The reduction of nitrite produced in the aerobic biofilm layer close to the surface might therefore be coupled with ammonium oxidation and takes place in the deeper or temporarily anoxic layer of the biofilm.     

Hydraulic performance of a modified constructed wetland system through a CFD-based approach

Low-cost household technologies, as horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands, are important to address water and sanitation needs in the Asia-Pacific region in a more integrated and sustainable manner, and a better understanding of these technologies would benefit their engineering design. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of a modified constructed wetland system (EvaTAC) were undertaken to determine empirical effects of geometric and flow parameters on the hydraulic performance and the effluent pollutant fraction. The CFD model was validated by comparing the computed residence time distribution (RTD) with experimental results. RTD functions were then used to quantify hydraulic indexes: short-circuiting, mixing, and moment. The EvaTAC is composed of an evapotranspiration and treatment chamber (CEvaT) and a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (HSSF-CW). For the CEvaT, length and the interaction between length and flow rate were the most important factors for the hydraulic efficiency. For the effluent pollutant fraction, the most important factor was flow rate. For the HSSF-CW, the strongest influence on the hydraulic efficiency was the length. Baffles and the interaction between length and baffles also had significant statistical influence on the hydraulic efficiency. Furthermore, the results showed that flow rate, length, and the interaction between flow rate and length influenced the effluent pollutant fraction significantly. Finally, a poor correlation between hydraulic indexes and effluent pollutant fraction was obtained, indicating that the hydraulic indexes are not good predictors of the effluent pollutant fraction.     

Domestic wastewater treatment by a constructed wetland system planted with rice

The experiments were conducted in four concrete laboratory scale free water surface constructed wetland units 1 m wide, 1.5 m long and 0.8 m deep. Paddy field soil was added to a depth of 0.4 m and rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.) were transplanted into the units at a density of 25 plants/m(2). Domestic wastewater collected from Chiang Mai University was applied into each unit via two different modes to evaluate suitable conditions for wastewater treatment and rice yield. In the first experiment, the wastewater was fed intermittently (7 h/day) with a hydraulic loading rate of 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm/day. The maximum removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, total kjedahl nitrogen and suspended solids were only 49.1, 58.7, 64.0 and 59.4%, respectively, due to the short hydraulic retention time for the biodegradation of organic substances. In the second experiment, the wastewater in each unit was inundated to a depth of 15 cm for 10, 15, 20 and 25 days in each unit and then drained and re-flooded. Removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, total kjedahl nitrogen and suspended solids were greater than in the first experiment especially at the 25 day retention time and except for suspended solids met the Thai national effluent standard. The study revealed that apart from wastewater treatment, wastewater can replace natural water to grow rice in the dry season or throughout the year. Moreover, nutrients in wastewater can be a substitute for chemical fertilizers. Rice grain production was 4,700 kg/ha and only 6% less than the production from the conventional paddy field.     

Using a compact combined constructed wetland system to treat agricultural wastewater with high nitrogen.

The objectives of this study were to find appropriate conditions for nitrogen removal by a compact combined constructed wetland system and to evaluate the removal rate constant in a tropical climate. This study will present suitable operating conditions for a combined system to treat pig farm wastewater containing high ammonia-nitrogen. Four laboratory-scale combined constructed wetland units (0.5 x 1.0 x 1.0 m3): vertical flow vegetated bed over horizontal flow sand bed, were operated under an average temperature of 24 degrees C. Pig farm wastewater with COD and NH4-N concentration of 1034 and 448 mg/L in average was fed to the system at different HLR from 2 to 8 cm/day. The performance of the system when operated with a vertical flow bed followed by a horizontal flow bed or vice versa did not show a significant difference but under high HLR, nitrogen removal efficiencies were clearly reduced. Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas were found in a large number in vertical flow beds and the same for denitrifier bacteria in a horizontal flow beds. Removal rate constants for nitrification (kNH4+ -N) were 0.0413 m/d for H-Vmode and 0.0339 m/d for V-H mode. Removal rate constants for denitrification (kNOx-N) were 0.0979 m/d for H-Vmode and 0.0399 m/d for V-H mode, respectively.     

Effect of recirculation on organic matter removal in a hybrid constructed wetland system

This research project aimed to determine the technologically feasible and applicable wastewater treatment systems which will be constructed to solve environmental problems caused by small communities in Turkey. Pilot-scale treatment of a small community's wastewater was performed over a period of more than 2 years in order to show applicability of these systems. The present study involves removal of organic matter and suspended solids in serially operated horizontal (HFCW) and vertical (VFCW) sub-surface flow constructed wetlands. The pilot-scale wetland was constructed downstream of anaerobic reactors at the campus of TUBITAK-MRC. Anaerobically pretreated wastewater was introduced into this hybrid two-stage sub-surface flow wetland system (TSCW). Wastewater was first introduced into the horizontal sub-surface flow system and then the vertical flow system before being discharged. Recirculation of the effluent was tested in the system. When the recirculation ratio was 100%, average removal efficiencies for TSCW were 91 +/- 4% for COD, 83 +/- 10% for BOD and 96 +/- 3% for suspended solids with average effluent concentrations of 9 +/- 5 mg/L COD, 6 +/- 3 mg/L BOD and 1 mg/L for suspended solids. Comparing non-recirculation and recirculation periods, the lowest effluent concentrations were obtained with a 100% recirculation ratio. The effluent concentrations met the Turkish regulations for discharge limits of COD, BOD and TSS in each case. The study showed that a hybrid constructed wetland system with recirculation is a very effective method of obtaining very low effluent organic matter and suspended solids concentrations downstream of anaerobic pretreatment of domestic wastewaters in small communities.