title: Paradigms of mangroves in treatment of anthropogenic wastewater pollution.
abstract: Mangroves have been increasingly recognized for treating wastewater from aquaculture, sewage and other sources with the overwhelming urbanization trend. This study clarified the three paradigms of mangroves in disposing wastewater contaminants: natural mangroves, constructed wetlands (including free water surface and subsurface flow) and mangrove-aquaculture coupling systems. Plant uptake is the common major mechanism for nutrient removal in all the paradigms as mangroves are generally nitrogen and phosphorus limited. Besides, sediments accrete and provide substrates for microbial activities, thereby removing organic matter and nutrients from wastewater in natural mangroves and constructed wetlands. Among the paradigms, the mangrove-aquaculture coupling system was determined to be the optimal alternative for aquaculture wastewater treatment by multi-criterion decision making. Sensitivity analysis shows variability of alternative ranking but underpins the coupling system as the most environment-friendly and cost-efficient option. Mangrove restoration is expected to be achievable if aquaculture ponds are planted with mangrove seedlings, creating the coupling system.
authors.affiliation: Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia. Electronic address: xiaoguang.ouyang@griffithuni.edu.au.
authors.forename: Xiaoguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.affiliation: Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, 8 Dayangfang, Beiyuan, Anwai, Beijing 100012, PR China.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen; D010758:Phosphorus; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Constructed wetlands; Decision making; Mangrove–aquaculture coupling systems; Natural mangroves; Sensitivity analysis; Wastewater contaminants