Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Existing forms and changes of nitrogen inside of horizontal subsurface constructed wetlands

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Horizontal zeolite subsurface constructed wetland system (HZCWs) and horizontal limestone subsurface constructed wetland system (HLCWs) were applied to the removal of nitrogen in lightly polluted wastewater, and the existing forms, changes, and removal mechanism of nitrogen in the constructed wetlands were analyzed. The results indicated that compared with HLCWs, HZCWs exhibited better nitrogen removal effect, and the maximum removal rates of ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen could reach 96.97 ± 5.29 and 93.12 ± 3.35%, respectively. Besides, analysis of the removal effect on nitrogen in different existing forms on different substrate heights in the constructed wetlands showed that variation of nitrogen removal efficiency had certain regularities, which were related to the interior construction features of the wetland systems, and agreed with the regularities in the changes of the influential factors such as DO inside of the wetlands. In addition, degradation mechanism of pollutions was also analyzed, and the results indicated that the quantity of microorganisms and enzymes, including FDA, catalase, and urease, on the surface of the substrates had significant influence on the removal regularities and effects of the major pollutions in constructed wetlands.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Public Health Association (APHA) (2005) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 21st edn. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Pollution Control Federation, Washington, DC

  • Brix H (1999) How “green” are aquaculture, constructed wetlands and conventional wastewater treatment systems? Water Sci Technol 40(3):45–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chang JJ, Wu SQ, Dai YR, Liang W, Wu ZB (2012) Treatment performance of integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland plots for domestic wastewater. Ecol Eng 44:152–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang JJ, Wu SQ, Liang K, Wu ZB, Liang W (2015) Responses of microbial abundance and enzyme activity in integrated vertical-flow constructed wetlands for domestic and secondary wastewater. Desalin Water Treat 56(8):2082–2091

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coban O, Kuschk P, Kappelmeyer U, Spott O, Martienssen M, Jetten MS, Knoeller K (2015) Nitrogen transforming community in a horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetland. Water Res 74:203–212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fibbi D, Doumett S, Lepri L, Checchini L, Gonnelli C, Coppini E, Del Bubba M (2012) Distribution and mass balance of hexavalent and trivalent chromium in a subsurface, horizontal flow (SF-h) constructed wetland operating as post-treatment of textile wastewater for water reuse. J Hazard Mater 199:209–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gale PM, Redely KR, Graetz DA (1993) Nitrogen removal from reclaimed water applied to constructed and natural wetland microcosms. Water Environ Res 65(2):162–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harrington R, McInnes R (2009) Integrated constructed wetlands (ICW) for livestock wastewater management. Bioresour Technol 100(22):5498–5505

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain SI, Blowes DW, Ptacek CJ, Jamieson-Hanes JH, Wootton B, Balch G, Higgins J (2015) Mechanisms of phosphorus removal in a pilot-scale constructed wetland/BOF slag wastewater treatment system. Environ Eng Sci 32(4):340–352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu Y, Zhao Y, Rymszewicz A (2014) Robust biological nitrogen removal by creating multiple tides in a single bed tidal flow constructed wetland. Sci Total Environ 470:1197–1204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Inamori R, Gui P, Dass P et al (2007) Investigating CH4 and N2O emissions from eco-engineering wastewater treatment processes using constructed wetland microcosms. Process Biochem 42(3):363–373

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khandare RV, Watharkar AD, Kabra AN, Kachole MS, Govindwar SP (2014) Development of a low-cost, phyto-tunnel system using Portulaca grandiflora and its application for the treatment of dye-containing wastewaters. Biotechnol Lett 36(1):47–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larue C, Korboulewsky N, Wang R, Mévy JP (2010) Depollution potential of three macrophytes: exudated, wall-bound and intracellular peroxidase activities plus intracellular phenol concentrations. Bioresour Technol 101(20):7951–7957

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Dong Y, Lei Y, Wu D, Xu P (2015) Removal of low concentration nutrients in hydroponic wetlands integrated with zeolite and calcium silicate hydrate functional substrates. Ecol Eng 82:442–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maine MA, Sune N, Hadad H, Sánchez G, Bonetto C (2007) Removal efficiency of a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment according to vegetation dominance. Chemosphere 68(6):1105–1113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maltais-Landry G, Maranger R, Brisson J, Chazarenc F (2009) Nitrogen transformations and retention in planted and artificially aerated constructed wetlands. Water Res 43(2):535–545

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meng P, Pei H, Hu W, Shao Y, Li Z (2014) How to increase microbial degradation in constructed wetlands: influencing factors and improvement measures. Bioresour Technol 157:316–326

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oon YL, Ong SA, Ho LN et al (2016) Synergistic effect of up-flow constructed wetland and microbial fuel cell for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy recovery. Bioresour Technol 203:190–197

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sehar S, Naeem S, Perveen I, Ali N, Ahmed S (2015) A comparative study of macrophytes influence on wastewater treatment through subsurface flow hybrid constructed wetland. Ecol Eng 81:62–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen Z, Zhou Y, Liu J, Xiao Y, Cao R, Wu F (2015) Enhanced removal of nitrate using starch/PCL blends as solid carbon source in a constructed wetland. Bioresour Technol 175:239–244

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sochacki A, Surmacz-Gorska J, Faure O, Guy B (2014a) Polishing of synthetic electroplating wastewater in microcosm upflow constructed wetlands: effect of operating conditions. Chem Eng J 237:250–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sochacki A, Surmacz-Górska J, Guy B, Faure O (2014b) Microcosm fill-and-drain constructed wetlands for the polishing of synthetic electroplating wastewater. Chem Eng J 251:10–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song K, Lee SH, Kang H (2011) Denitrification rates and community structure of denitrifying bacteria in newly constructed wetland. Eur J Soil Biol 47(1):24–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song K, Lee SH, Mitsch WJ, Kang H (2010) Different responses of denitrification rates and denitrifying bacterial communities to hydrologic pulsing in created wetlands. Soil Biol Biochem 42(10):1721–1727

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang XY, Wang SY, Yang Y, Tao R, Dai YN, Dan A, Li L (2015) Removal of six phthalic acid esters (PAEs) from domestic sewage by constructed wetlands. Chem Eng J 275:198–205

  • Verhoeven JT, Meuleman AF (1999) Wetlands for wastewater treatment: opportunities and limitations. Ecol Eng 12(1):5–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vymazal J (2007) Removal of nutrients in various types of constructed wetlands. Sci Total Environ 380(1):48–65

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vymazal J (2009) The use constructed wetlands with horizontal sub-surface flow for various types of wastewater. Ecol Eng 35(1):1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vymazal J, Kröpfelová L (2015) Multistage hybrid constructed wetland for enhanced removal of nitrogen. Ecol Eng 84:202–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waki M, Yasuda T, Suzuki K, Komada M, Abe K (2015) Distribution of anammox bacteria in a free-water-surface constructed wetland with wild rice (Zizania latifolia). Ecol Eng 81:165–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang XH, Wang X, Huppes G, Heijungs R, Ren NQ (2015) Environmental implications of increasingly stringent sewage discharge standards in municipal wastewater treatment plants: case study of a cool area of China. J Clean Prod 94:278–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu S, Kuschk P, Brix H, Vymazal J, Dong R (2014) Development of constructed wetlands in performance intensifications for wastewater treatment: a nitrogen and organic matter targeted review. Water Res 57:40–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou L, Boyd CE (2014) Total ammonia nitrogen removal from aqueous solutions by the natural zeolite, mordenite: a laboratory test and experimental study. Aquaculture 432:252–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Youth Foundation of Hebei Educational Committee [QN2015197] and Hebei Province science and technology project [15273601D].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Civil and Architectural Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, People’s Republic of China

    Hao Wang, Huiyuan Zhong & Guozhu Bo

Authors
  1. Hao Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Huiyuan Zhong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guozhu Bo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hao Wang.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, H., Zhong, H. & Bo, G. Existing forms and changes of nitrogen inside of horizontal subsurface constructed wetlands. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 771–781 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0477-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0477-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation