Performance Evaluation of Constructed Wetland Treatment System

• Published in: Journal of cold regions engineering Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 35 - 46
• Main Authors: Sumrall, L. B, Surampalli, R. Y, Banerji, S. K, Sievers, D. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01-06-1994
• Subjects: Ammonia; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Construction; Construction materials; Efficiency; Effluents; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydraulics; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Materials selection; Retaining; Solids; TECHNICAL PAPERS; Troughs; Vegetation; Wastewater; Wetlands; USA; Performance evaluation; Monocotyledones; Phalaris arundinacea; Lemnaceae; Typhaceae; Gramineae; Quality; Angiospermae; Cyperaceae; Spermatophyta; Alismataceae; Aquatic plant; Fodder crop; Waste water purification; Typha latifolia; Wetland; Effluent
• ISSN: 0887-381X; 1943-5495
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0887-381X(1994)8:2(35)

The objectives of this study were to determine effective vegetation species that had the ability and efficiency to improve the effluent quality of an existing wastewater wetland treatment system. Channels were constructed down the length of one cell of the existing wetland trough and planted with the selected plant materials, which included bullrushes (Scirpus validus) and arrowhead (Sagitarria latifolia). Removal efficiencies for BOD5, total suspended solids (TSS), and ammonia-nitrogen were monitored and shown to be influenced more significantly by hydraulic retention times than the presence of introduced vegetation. However, when retention times were adequate, removal efficiencies did reach similar levels as those documented by other researchers using these plant species.