Robust biological nitrogen removal by creating multiple tides in a single bed tidal flow constructed wetland

Yuansheng Hu; Yaqian Zhao; Anna Rymszewicz

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.10.100

Robust biological nitrogen removal by creating multiple tides in a single bed tidal flow constructed wetland

Sci Total Environ. 2014 Feb 1:470-471:1197-204. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.10.100. Epub 2013 Nov 16.

Authors

Yuansheng Hu¹, Yaqian Zhao², Anna Rymszewicz²

Affiliations

¹ UCD Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Newstead Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment/R&D Centre for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment (Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100044, China. Electronic address: yuanshenghu@hotmail.com.
² UCD Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Newstead Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

PMID: 24246943
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.10.100

Abstract

Achieving effective total nitrogen (TN) removal is one of the major challenges faced by constructed wetlands (CWs). To address this issue, multiple "tides" were proposed in a single stage tidal flow constructed wetland (TFCW). With this adoption, exceptional TN removal (85% on average) was achieved under a high nitrogen loading rate (NLR) of around 28 g Nm(-2)day(-1), which makes the proposed system an adequate option to provide advanced wastewater treatment for peri-urban communities and rural area. It was revealed that the multiple "tides" not only promoted TN removal performance, but also brought more flexibility to TFCWs. Adsorption of NH4(+)-N onto the wetland medium (during contact period) and regeneration of the adsorption capacity via nitrification (during bed resting) were validated as the key processes for NH4(+)-N conversion in TFCWs. Moreover, simultaneous nitrification denitrification (SND) was found to be significant during the bed resting period. These findings will provide a new foundation for the design and modeling of nitrogen conversion and oxygen transfer in TFCWs.

Keywords: Constructed wetland; Nitrogen; Simultaneous nitrification denitrification (SND); Tidal flow.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Environmental Restoration and Remediation / methods*
Nitrogen / analysis*
Water Movements
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
Wetlands*

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Nitrogen