Floating Treatment Wetland influences on the fate of metals in road runoff retention ponds

Abstract

A field trial comparing the fate of metals in two parallel stormwater retention ponds, one of which was retrofitted with a Floating Treatment Wetland (FTW), was carried out near Auckland, New Zealand. Results suggest that the FTW increased metal accumulation in the pond sediment especially in summer due to lower sediment Eh, more anoxic water column, neutral pH and greater source of organic matter (OM) induced by the FTW. These factors combined with higher temperature enhanced metal sorption onto OM, flocculation of particulate pollutants, metal sulphide formation and reduced OM degradation and thus limited release of metals. Unlike Zn, Cu speciation in the pond sediment was relatively unchanged under various sediment Eh conditions due to its strong binding property with sulphide and OM. Occasional moderate metal release was detected from the FTW pond sediment likely due to aerobic OM degradation at the beginning of spring and/or hydroxides reduction when sediments became reduced later in the season. No release was noticed from the conventional pond sediment likely due to biosorption and/or uptake by algae which developed in the conventional pond and settled on the bottom sediment. Direct uptake by the plants of the FTW and sorption onto root plaques are not thought to be significant removal pathways. Nevertheless roots play a major role in trapping particulate pollutants, eventually sloughing off to settle on the bottom of the pond, and provide an adequate substrate for bacterial development due to release of organic compounds which are both essential for dissolved metal sorption and metal sulphide formation.

Keywords: Copper; Fate; Floating Treatment Wetland; Plant; Sediment; Zinc.