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Nitrogen transformations and balance in constructed wetlands for slightly polluted river water treatment using different macrophytes

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Abstract

Nitrogen removal processing in different constructed wetlands treating different kinds of wastewater often varies, and the contribution to nitrogen removal by various pathways remains unclear. In this study, the seasonal nitrogen removal and transformations as well as nitrogen balance in wetland microcosms treating slightly polluted river water was investigated. The results showed that the average total nitrogen removal rates varied in different seasons. According to the mass balance approach, plant uptake removed 8.4–34.3 % of the total nitrogen input, while sediment storage and N2O emission contributed 20.5–34.4 % and 0.6–1.9 % of nitrogen removal, respectively. However, the percentage of other nitrogen loss such as N2 emission due to nitrification and denitrification was estimated to be 2.0–23.5 %. The results indicated that plant uptake and sediment storage were the key factors limiting nitrogen removal besides microbial processes in surface constructed wetland for treating slightly polluted river water.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (21177075), Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-10-0554), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 21007032). We would also like to thank Mr. Yi Cheng and Yunfei Ma from Northwest Sci-Tech University of Agriculture and Forest, China, for their assistance in nutrient analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People’s Republic of China

    Haiming Wu, Jian Zhang, Rong Wei, Shuang Liang & Cong Li

  2. Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People’s Republic of China

    Huijun Xie

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  1. Haiming Wu
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  2. Jian Zhang
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  3. Rong Wei
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  4. Shuang Liang
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  5. Cong Li
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  6. Huijun Xie
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Correspondence to Jian Zhang.

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Responsible editor: Elena Maestri

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Wu, H., Zhang, J., Wei, R. et al. Nitrogen transformations and balance in constructed wetlands for slightly polluted river water treatment using different macrophytes. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 443–451 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-0996-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-0996-8

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