title: Start-up performance of a subsurface-flow constructed wetland for domestic wastewater treatment.
abstract: Constructed wetlands have been shown to provide sufficient domestic wastewater treatment in temperate climates. However, the effectiveness of this technology, when subjected to severe temperature extremes during start-up conditions, is limited. Because of the growing interest in constructed wetland technology within smaller communities located in colder-climates, and the need for cost-effective treatment systems, this paper presents the performance of a constructed wetland system during the first two-years of operation under a variety of loading and operating conditions associated with northern climates. While the treatment performance of constructed wetland systems has been widely documented within the literature, documentation on performance during start-up stages has been limited. The results indicate that effective and sufficient constructed wetland seasonal removals of total suspended solids, volatile suspended solids, 5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and fecal coliform were achieved within the wetland cell during the first two-years of operation. Wastewater temperatures appeared to affect 5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand removal rates. Nitrogen and phosphorus reductions were not as effective and varied seasonally, as well as with wastewater temperature.
authors: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, W348 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Vanier
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Dahab
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D014835:Volatilization; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014873:Water Pollutants; D010100:Oxygen