Comprehensive assessment of the design configuration of constructed wetlands for the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products from urban wastewaters

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 44; no. 12; pp. 3669 - 3678
• Main Authors: Hijosa-Valsero, María, Matamoros, Víctor, Sidrach-Cardona, Ricardo, Martín-Villacorta, Javier, Bécares, Eloy, Bayona, Josep M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analgesics - isolation & purification; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - isolation & purification; Anticonvulsants - isolation & purification; Applied sciences; Biodegradation, Environmental; Central Nervous System Stimulants - isolation & purification; Cities; Constructed wetlands; Continental surface waters; Cosmetics - isolation & purification; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Natural water pollution; Other industrial wastes. Sewage sludge; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen - chemistry; Perfume; Pharmaceutical Preparations - isolation & purification; Pollution; PPCPs; Removal efficiency; Seasons; Sewerage works: sewers, sewage treatment plants, outfalls; Temperature; Urban wastewater; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastes; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment and pollution; Wetland configuration; Wetlands; WWTP; Urban wastewater; PPCPs; WWTP; Removal efficiency; Constructed wetlands; Wetland configuration; Cosmetic; Drug; Activated sludge; Gravel bed; Sewage treatment plant; Waste water; Biological purification; Surveillance; Correlation analysis; Artificial medium; Surface water; Urban waste water; Aquatic plant; Redox potential; Waste water purification; Wetland; Organic compounds; Caffeine
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2010.04.022

Seven mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands (CWs) of different configurations were operated outdoors for nine months to assess their ability to remove pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from urban wastewaters. CWs differed in some design parameters, namely the presence of plants, the species chosen (i.e., Typha angustifolia vs Phragmites australis), flow configuration (i.e., surface flow vs subsurface flow) and the presence of a gravel bed. A nearby conventional activated-sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) fed with the same sewage was simultaneously monitored for comparison. The PPCPs ketoprofen, naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, salicylic acid, carbamazepine, caffeine, galaxolide, tonalide and methyl dihydrojasmonate were monitored. The presence of plants favoured the removal of some PPCPs. The performance of the mesocosm studied was compound-dependant, soilless CWs showing the highest removal efficiency for ketoprofen, ibuprofen and carbamazepine, while free-water CWs with effluent leaving through the bottom of the tank performed well for the degradation of ketoprofen, salicylic acid, galaxolide and tonalide. Finally, subsurface horizontal flow CWs were efficient for the removal of caffeine. Significant linear correlations were observed between the removal of some PPCPs and temperature or redox potential. Hence, microbiological pathways appear to be the most probable degradation route for PPCPs in the CWs studied.