Assessment of nutrient removal and microbial population dynamics in a non-aerated vertical baffled flow constructed wetland for contaminated water treatment with composite biochar addition

Fanchen Meng; Lijuan Feng; Haojie Yin; Kongqing Chen; Guanghui Hu; Guangfeng Yang; Jiaheng Zhou

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.011

Assessment of nutrient removal and microbial population dynamics in a non-aerated vertical baffled flow constructed wetland for contaminated water treatment with composite biochar addition

J Environ Manage. 2019 Sep 15:246:355-361. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.011. Epub 2019 Jun 8.

Authors

Fanchen Meng¹, Lijuan Feng², Haojie Yin¹, Kongqing Chen¹, Guanghui Hu¹, Guangfeng Yang¹, Jiaheng Zhou³

Affiliations

¹ Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Health Risk Factors for Seafood, College of Marine Science and Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, No.1 Haida South Road, Zhoushan 316022, PR China.
² Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Health Risk Factors for Seafood, College of Marine Science and Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, No.1 Haida South Road, Zhoushan 316022, PR China. Electronic address: fenglj@zjou.edu.cn.
³ College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China.

PMID: 31185322
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.011

Abstract

A novel composite biochar (NCB) was produced from the pyrolysis of co-fermentation products of sewage sludge, food wastes and rice straw, and exhibited higher nitrogen and phosphorus adsorption capacity due to the larger surface area (14.7 m² g^-1) and higher Ca content (51753.7 mg kg^-1) than single rice straw biochar. The addition of NCB was then investigated in a non-aerated vertical baffled flow constructed wetland (VBFCW) for contaminated water treatment. The VBFCW with NCB addition significantly improved COD_Mn, NH₄⁺-N, TN and TP removal efficiencies of 83.3 ± 5.3%, 95.9 ± 3.4%, 28.0 ± 4.0% and 59.5 ± 11.8%, respectively, at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 d. In addition, the TN and TP removal rates at a decreased HRT of 2 d were much higher than those at an HRT of 3 d without NCB addition. The presence of NCB in the VBFCW system enhanced nutrient adsorption and improved the enrichment of bacteria for organic and nitrogen removal mainly including the genera Bacillus and Lactococcus.

Keywords: Biochar; Constructed wetland; Microbial community; Nitrogen; Nutrient; Phosphorus.

MeSH terms

Charcoal
Nitrogen
Nutrients
Phosphorus
Population Dynamics
Waste Disposal, Fluid
Water Purification*
Wetlands*

Substances

biochar
Charcoal
Phosphorus
Nitrogen