Yinxiu Liang1, Hui Zhu2, Gary Bañuelos3, Baixing Yan1, Brian Shutes4, Xianwei Cheng1, Xin Chen1. 1. Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, PR China. 2. Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, PR China. Electronic address: zhuhui@iga.ac.cn. 3. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Science Center, 9611 South Riverbend Avenue, Parlier, CA, 93648-9757, USA. 4. Urban Pollution Research Centre, Middlesex University, Hendon, London, NW4 4BT, UK.
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate how plant species, influent loads and salinity levels affect the removal of nutrients from saline wastewater using constructed wetlands (CWs). CWs planted with Canna indica showed the greatest removal percentages among the four tested species for nitrogen (N) (∼100%) at both low and high influent loads, and ∼100% and 93.8% for phosphorus (P) at low and high influent loads, respectively at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 7 mS/cm (25 °C). The influence of different salinity levels on plant assimilation of N and P varied with their respective concentrations; salinity (e.g., EC at 7, 10 and 15 mS/cm) even enhanced plant absorption of N and P under specific conditions. In conclusion, CWs planted with selected species can be used for the removal of N and P under a range of different salinity levels (e.g., EC at 7, 10 and 15 mS/cm, 25 °C).
This study aims to evaluate how plant species, influent loads and salinity levels affect the removal of nutrients from pan class="Chemical">saline wastewater using constructed wetlands (CWs). CWs planted with n>an class="Species">Canna indica showed the greatest removal percentages among the four tested species for nitrogen (N) (∼100%) at both low and high influent loads, and ∼100% and 93.8% for phosphorus (P) at low and high influent loads, respectively at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 7 mS/cm (25 °C). The influence of different salinity levels on plant assimilation of N and P varied with their respective concentrations; salinity (e.g., EC at 7, 10 and 15 mS/cm) even enhanced plant absorption of N and P under specific conditions. In conclusion, CWs planted with selected species can be used for the removal of N and P under a range of different salinity levels (e.g., EC at 7, 10 and 15 mS/cm, 25 °C).