Performance of pilot-scale vertical-flow constructed wetlands in responding to variation in influent C/N ratios of simulated urban sewage

Bioresour Technol. 2010 Mar;101(6):1693-700. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2009.10.002. Epub 2009 Oct 23.

Abstract

The performance response of planted and the unplanted wetlands to simulated wastewater with different ratios of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) was studied during a 9-month period in greenhouse conditions. With different C/N ratios for influent water (C/N ratios 2.5:1, 5:1 and 10:1), average removal efficiencies for the unplanted and the planted wetlands were as follows: COD (41-52% and 59-68%), TN (24-48% and 25-62%), TP (35-64% and 59-71%) and TOC (22-37% and 16-33%). At C/N 5:1, both systems performed most efficiently for removal of COD and TP. However, high N removal efficiency only occurred when C/N ratio ranged 2.5-5. Both wetlands exhibited good capabilities of total organic carbon removal at C/N 10:1. Maybe, appropriate control of the carbon or nitrogen source concentration and C/N ratio in the influent can achieve the optimal effect of nutrients removal.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Cities
  • Equipment Design
  • Lythrum / enzymology
  • Nitrogen / chemistry*
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Phosphorus / chemistry
  • Time Factors
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Purification / methods
  • Wetlands*

Substances

  • Organic Chemicals
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Phosphorus
  • Carbon
  • Nitrogen
  • Oxygen