Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose adverse risks to ecosystems and public health because of their carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. As such, the extensive occurrence of PAHs represents a worldwide concern that requires urgent solutions. Wastewater treatment plants are not, however, designed for PAH removal and often become sources of the PAHs entering surface waters. Among the technologies applied in PAH remediation, constructed wetlands (CWs) exhibit several cost-effective and eco-friendly advantages, yet a systematic examination of the application and success of CWs for PAH remediation is missing. This review discusses PAH occurrence, distribution, and seasonal patterns in surface waters during the last decade to provide baseline information for risk control and further treatment. Furthermore, based on the application of CWs in PAH remediation, progress in understanding and optimising PAH-removal mechanisms is discussed focussing on sediments, plants, and microorganisms. Wetland plant traits are key factors affecting the mechanisms of PAH removal in CWs, including adsorption, uptake, phytovolatilization, and biodegradation. The physico-chemical characteristics of PAHs, environmental conditions, wetland configuration, and operation parameters are also reviewed as important factors affecting PAH removal efficiency. Whilst significant progress has been made, several key problems need to be addressed to ensure the success of large-scale CW projects. These include improving performance in cold climates and addressing the toxic threshold effects of PAHs on wetland plants. Overall, this review provides future direction for research on PAH removal using CWs and their large-scale operation for the treatment of PAH-contaminated surface waters.
Keywords: Constructed wetlands; Influence factors; PAHs; Removal mechanism; Surface water.
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.