Removal of nitrogen and phosphorus by Eucalyptus and Populus at a tertiary treated municipal wastewater sprayfield.
Various progenies of Eucalyptus grandis and E. amplifolia, and clones of Populus deltoides, were evaluated for plant removal of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) for 26 months at a municipal waste spray field in north Florida. Tertiary treated wastewater containing 2.73 mg L(-1) nitrate N and 0.30 mg L(-1) total P was applied using sprinkler irrigation (93.8 m3 ha(-1) d(-1)) to fast growing trees utilized for bioenergy. Eucalyptus amplifolia and E. grandis survived and grew very poorly as the result of severe winter injury in two successive years and were not evaluated for nutrient removal. Survival and growth of P. deltoides demonstrated suitability for phytoremediation, and selected clones were evaluated for biomass and nutrient content. Removals of total N (TN) and total P (TP) were greatest for main stem (36% and 44%, respectively) and foliage (44% and 36%, respectively). Low biomass producing clones generally had higher nutrient concentrations, but high biomass producing clones removed more TN and TP. Approximately 789 kg ha(-1) TN and 103 kg ha(-1) TP were removed by the highest biomass producing P. deltoides clone, representing 215% of N and 615% of P inputs.
North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Quincy, Florida 32351-5677, USA. pminogue@ufl.edu
Patrick J
PJ
Minogue
Masato
M
Miwa
Donald L
DL
Rockwood
Cheryl L
CL
Mackowiak
D000336:Aerosols; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D032107:Populus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D000336:Aerosols; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen