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Addition of iron materials for improving the removal efficiencies of multiple contaminants from wastewater with a low C/N ratio in constructed wetlands at low temperatures

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Abstract

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are widely used in wastewater treatment. Wastewater generally contains multiple contaminants. In this study, CWs were applied to treat wastewater with a low COD/TN ratio and containing heavy metals. Iron-based material was added in CWs to enhance the treatment efficiency. The contaminant removal efficiency was positively correlated with the dosage of iron-based material. Considering the operation cost, we added 1 g of iron-based material in CW and realized the multi-contaminant removal efficiency after 4-day treatment at low temperature: 99.51% of Cu(II), 87.22% of Cr(VI), 65.62% of TN, and 60.23% of COD. Microbial community analysis and kinetic analysis predicted that the removal mechanism involved ion exchange and microbial denitrification. Specific bacteria were found in CWs with iron-based material, such as Thiobacillus spp. and Thauera spp., indicating that the nitrate removal in the denitrification process was triggered by carbon sources and that Fe2+ worked as both the electron donor and the adjuster of the abundances of specific bacteria. The addition of iron-based material into CWs was a green option to improve the pollutant removal performance.

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Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51679041), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (D-8005-18-0068-1/2), Shanghai Ocean University PhD Start-Up Fund (Grant No. A2-0203-00-100356), and the Program of Science and Technology in Guangdong Province (Grant No. 2017B020236002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Zhimiao Zhao, Chenglong Xu & Xiao Zhang

  2. Engineering Research Center for Water Environment Ecology in Shanghai, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Zhimiao Zhao, Chenglong Xu, Xiao Zhang & Xinshan Song

  3. State Environmental Protection Engineering Center for Pollution Treatment and Control in Textile Industry, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China

    Xinshan Song

Authors
  1. Zhimiao Zhao
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  2. Chenglong Xu
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  3. Xiao Zhang
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  4. Xinshan Song
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Correspondence to Xinshan Song.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Highlights

√ Iron materials were used to improve the multi-contaminant removal efficiency in CWs.

√ Kinetic analysis proved that the metal removal mechanism involved ion exchange.

√ Thiobacillus could utilize Fe2+ as the electron donor for denitrification in CWs.

√ Thauera abundance might be adjusted by adding the optimal dosage of iron ion.

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Zhao, Z., Xu, C., Zhang, X. et al. Addition of iron materials for improving the removal efficiencies of multiple contaminants from wastewater with a low C/N ratio in constructed wetlands at low temperatures. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 11988–11997 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04648-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04648-7

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