Effects of plant biomass on nitrate removal and transformation of carbon sources in subsurface-flow constructed wetlands

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 101; no. 19; pp. 7286 - 7292
• Main Authors: Wen, Yue, Chen, Yi, Zheng, Nan, Yang, Dianhai, Zhou, Qi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2010; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: alkalis; analysis; Available carbon source; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biomass; Biotechnology; Carbohydrates; Carbohydrates - isolation & purification; Carbon; Carbon - metabolism; constructed wetlands; Construction; denitrification; Effluents; Environment and pollution; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Fatty Acids, Volatile - isolation & purification; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; isolation & purification; Litter; metabolism; methods; Nitrate removal; nitrates; Nitrates - isolation & purification; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - analysis; nitrogen content; organic matter; pharmacology; Plant biomass; plant litter; Plants (organisms); Proteins; Proteins - isolation & purification; Sodium Hydroxide; Sodium Hydroxide - pharmacology; Solubility; subsurface flow; Subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (SSF CWs); Time Factors; Typhaceae; Typhaceae - metabolism; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wetlands; Nitrate removal; Subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (SSF CWs); Available carbon source; Plant biomass; Underground flow; Constructed wetland; Lagooning; Nitrates; Biomass; Carbon; Denitration
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2010.04.068
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976

Denitrification is strongly dependent on carbon quantity and quality in most constructed wetlands (CWs). In this study, four batch CWs were designed, and were fed with nitrate-dominated water to investigate nitrate removal affected by plant and external cattail litter with or without alkali pretreatment. The results showed that the unit with plant and alkali-pretreated litter was more efficient in the initial stage whereas unit with plant and unpretreated litter was superior to other units in the middle and terminal stages. Plant accounted for less than 37% of the nitrate removal in biomass-up added CWs. The different nitrate removal rates were found to be greatly affected by the composition of the plant biomass as well as the quantity and quality of the available organic matters. It was also observed that plant biomass degradation over the period of this study resulted in various N species and concentrations in effluent.