title: Role of vegetation (Typha latifolia) on nutrient removal in a horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetland treating UASB reactor-trickling filter effluent.
abstract: The main objective of the work is to characterize the role of plants in a constructed wetland in the removal of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). The experiments were carried out in a full-scale system in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, with two parallel horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetland units (one planted with Typha latifolia and one unplanted) treating the effluent from a system composed of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor and a trickling filter (TF). Each wetland unit received a mean flow of approximately 8.5 m³ d⁻¹ (population equivalent around 60 inhabitants each), with a surface hydraulic loading rate 0.12 m³m⁻²d⁻¹. The experiments were conducted from September 2011 to July 2013. Mean effluent concentrations from the wetlands were: (a) planted unit total nitrogen (TN) 22 mg L⁻¹, ammonia-N 19 mg L⁻¹, nitrite-N 0.10 mg L⁻¹, nitrate-N 0.25 mg L⁻¹, P-total 1.31 mg L⁻¹; and (b) unplanted unit TN 24 mg L⁻¹, ammonia-N 20 mg L⁻¹, nitrite-N 0.54 mg mL⁻¹, nitrate-N 0.15 mg L⁻¹, P-total 1.31 mg L⁻¹. The aerial part of the plant contained mean values of 24.1 gN (kg dry matter)⁻¹ and 4.4 gP (kg dry matter)⁻¹, and the plant root zone was composed of 16.5 gN (kg dry matter)⁻¹ and 4.1 gP (kg dry matter)⁻¹. The mean extraction of N by the plant biomass was 726 kgN ha⁻¹y⁻¹, corresponding to 17% of the N load removed. For P, the extraction by the plant biomass was 105 kgP ha⁻¹y⁻¹, corresponding to 9% of the P load removed. These results reinforce the reports that N and P removal due to plant uptake is a minor mechanism in horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands operating under similar loading rates, typical for polishing of sanitary effluent.
authors: Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627-Escola de Engenharia, Bloco 1 - sala 4622, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil E-mail: marcos@desa.ufmg.br.
authors: Jocilene Ferreira
authors: JF
authors: da Costa
authors: Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627-Escola de Engenharia, Bloco 1 - sala 4622, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil E-mail: marcos@desa.ufmg.br.
authors: Weber Luiz Pinto
authors: WL
authors: Martins
authors: Université Paris-Est, LEESU ENPC, 6-8 ave B. Pascal, F77455 Marne la Vallée cedex 2, France.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Seidl
authors: Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627-Escola de Engenharia, Bloco 1 - sala 4622, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil E-mail: marcos@desa.ufmg.br.
authors: Marcos
authors: M
authors: von Sperling
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D005374:Filtration; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D032401:Typhaceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen