Laboratory Investigation of Ammonium and Nitrate Removal in Vertical-Flow Regimes in Planted and Unplanted Wetland Columns
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 12
Abstract
Vertical-flow constructed wetlands were investigated for ammonium and nitrate removal from synthetic wastewater in bench-scale wetland columns. Total ammonia and nitrate were measured as wastewater and fed through planted and unplanted columns over three 4-week phases: downflow, upflow, and downflow-upflow in series. Mass balance results showed that downflow columns removed of influent ammonium, regardless of vegetation. Unplanted downflow columns removed 15% of nitrate and 14% of total nitrogen. Planted downflow columns removed only 1% of nitrate and total nitrogen. Unplanted upflow columns removed 55% of ammonium, 50% nitrate, and 31% of total nitrogen, whereas planted upflow columns removed 59, 60, and 40% of nitrogen species, respectively. For downflow-upflow columns in series, unplanted columns removed 79% of the ammonium, 1% of nitrate, and 4% of total nitrogen. In-series planted columns removed 93, 62, and 59%, respectively. These results suggest that downflow wetlands may be more appropriate for ammonium removal. Upflow wetlands achieve the best nitrate removal. For total nitrogen removal, downflow-upflow in-series wetlands may be better. Plants significantly improve nitrogen removal rates.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for support from the U.S. National Science Foundation Sustainable Futures IGERT (DGE 0333401) and Graduate Research Fellowship Program, the Water Environment Research Foundation (Project DEC11U06), the DeVlieg Foundation, and the Michigan Water Environment Association.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 12 • December 2012
Pages: 1227 - 1230
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 15, 2010
Accepted: May 16, 2012
Published online: May 18, 2012
Published in print: Dec 1, 2012
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