title: Growth and contaminant removal effect of several plants in constructed wetlands.
abstract: The aim of the present study is to probe the relation between plant growth and its decontamination effect in constructed wetlands. Four species were studied in the small-scale mono-cultured constructed wetlands, which were fed with domestic wastewater. Plant growth indexes were correlated with contaminant removal performance of the constructed wetlands. Wetlands planted with Cyperus flabelliformis Rottb. showed the highest growth indexes such as shoot growth, biomass, root activity, root biomass increment, and the highest contaminant removal rates, whereas wetlands planted with Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash had the lowest growth indexes and the lowest removal rates. Above-ground biomass and total biomass were significantly correlated with ammonia nitrogen removal, and below-ground biomass with soluble reactive phosphorus removal. Photosynthetic rate had higher correlation with nitrogen removal in these species. Root activity and root biomass increment was more correlated with 5 d biochemical oxygen demand removal. Chemical oxygen demand removal had lower correlations with plant growth indexes. All four species had higher removal rates in summer and autumn. The results suggest that the effect of plant growth on contaminant removal in constructed wetlands were different specifically in plants and contaminants.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, College of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ming-Qiu
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Wen-Yin
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xu-Cheng
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhang-He
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D063245:Plant Development; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012621:Seasons; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants