Addressing the C/N imbalance in the treatment of irrigated agricultural water by using a hybrid constructed wetland at field-scale

Abstract

To mitigate excess of nitrate-N (NO₃^--N) derived from agricultural activity, constructed wetlands (CWs) are created to simulate natural removal mechanisms. Irrigated agricultural drainage water is commonly characterized by an organic carbon/nitrogen (C/N) imbalance, thus, C limitation constrains heterotrophic denitrification, the main biotic process implicated in NO₃^--N removal in wetlands. We studied a pilot plant with three series (169 m²) of hybrid CWs over the first two years of functioning to examine: i) the effect of adding different C-rich substrates (natural soil vs. biochar) to gravel on NO₃^--N removal in a subsurface flow (Phase I), ii) the role of a second phase with a horizontal surface flow (Phase II) as a source of dissolved organic C (DOC), and its effect in a consecutive horizontal subsurface flow (Phase III) on NO₃^--N removal, and iii) the contribution of each phase to global NO₃^--N removal. Our results showed that the addition of a C-rich substrate to gravel had a positive effect on NO₃^--N removal in Phase I, with mean efficiencies of 40% and 17% for soil and biochar addition, respectively, compared to only gravel (0.75%). In Phase II, the algae growth turned into a DOC concentration increase, but it did not enhance NO₃^--N removal in Phase III. In series with C-rich substrate addition, the largest contribution to NO₃^--N removal was found in Phase I. However, in series with only gravel, Phase II was the most effective on NO₃^--N removal. Contribution of Phase III to NO₃^--N removal was almost negligible.

Keywords: Agricultural water; C/N imbalance; Constructed wetland; Horizontal subsurface flow; Nitrate; Surface flow.