Floating wetland mesocosm assessment of nutrient removal to reduce ecotoxicity in stormwater ponds

    Authors

    N. B. Chang; M. K. Islam;M. P. Wanielista

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.

    Keywords

    Best management practice; Littoral zone; Nutrient aggregation; Rhizospheric zone; Sorption media; ANGIOSPERM-EPIPHYTE COMPLEXES; WASTE-WATER TREATMENT; CONSTRUCTED; WETLAND; ARTIFICIAL WETLANDS; LITTORAL SYSTEMS; ORGANIC-CARBON; AQUATIC; PLANTS; FILTER MEDIA; MACROPHYTES; PHOSPHORUS; Environmental Sciences

    Abstract

    A grouped mesocosm study was conducted with different water holding capacities and conditions to determine nutrient removal efficiency using floating wetland macrophytes. Different scenarios were created by changing water depth, littoral vegetation, sorption media and area coverage to observe how they affect nutrient removal efficiencies. Plant species were screened and selected based on the literature, local availability and previously performed microcosm studies. Sorption media were warped using geotextile filter fostering microbial colonization in the rhizospheric zone to enhance denitrification and plant growth. Water quality parameters included total nitrogen, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, nitrate-nitrogen and ammonia-nitrogen in addition to in situ parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and chlorophyll-a. Composite samples across several locations were collected periodically to understand the spatial distribution or aggregation of nutrients. After 3 months of water quality monitoring, plants were analyzed for tissue nutrient concentrations, and the average uptake rate was calculated as 36.39 and 1.48 mg m(-2) day(-1) for nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively, by the floating treatment wetland system. Finally, considering the higher nutrient aggregation in the rhizospheric zone, the removal rate with 5 % area coverage and water quality improvement by littoral zone, the optimized design, placement and maintenance of the whole system were recommended.

    Journal Title

    International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology

    Volume

    9

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-2012

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    453

    Last Page

    462

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000305033200007

    ISSN

    1735-1472

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