Biochemical performance modelling of non-vegetated and vegetated vertical subsurface-flow constructed wetlands treating municipal wastewater in hot and dry climate
(2020) In Journal of Water Process Engineering 33.- Abstract
Wastewater treatment and subsequent effluent recycling for non-drinking purposes such as irrigation contributes to the mitigation of the pressure on freshwater resources. In this study, two vertical sub-surface flow constructed wetland (VSSF-CW) pilot plants were operated to treat municipal wastewater and their effluents were reused for irrigation purposes. One of the wetlands was vegetated with Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (common reed) to compare its efficiency of pollutant removals with the non-vegetated system, which had the same design. COMSOL Multiphysics 3.5a was operated for the Activated Sludge Model 2 (ASM2) to predict the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia-nitrogen (NH4-N) concentrations. The... (More)
Wastewater treatment and subsequent effluent recycling for non-drinking purposes such as irrigation contributes to the mitigation of the pressure on freshwater resources. In this study, two vertical sub-surface flow constructed wetland (VSSF-CW) pilot plants were operated to treat municipal wastewater and their effluents were reused for irrigation purposes. One of the wetlands was vegetated with Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (common reed) to compare its efficiency of pollutant removals with the non-vegetated system, which had the same design. COMSOL Multiphysics 3.5a was operated for the Activated Sludge Model 2 (ASM2) to predict the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia-nitrogen (NH4-N) concentrations. The effluent quality of both treatment systems was assessed for several parameters. Computer simulations show a good compliance between the measured and predicted values of COD and NH4-N for the vegetated system. The calibrated model could be effectively used to predict the behaviours of those parameters as a function of time. Moreover, the effluents of both vegetated (VFp) and non-vegetated (VF) VSSF-CW were significantly (p < 0.05) improved compared to influent. Significant (p < 0.05) effects due to the presence of P. australis were observed for removals of total suspended solids (TSS), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), COD, NH4-N and ortho-phosphate-phosphorus (PO4-P). However, significant increases (p < 0.05) were noted for electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) and sulphate (SO4) of both effluents compared to the raw wastewater. Except for EC, NH4-N and SO4, all water quality parameters complied with irrigation water standards.
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- author
- Rahi, Muna A. ; Faisal, Ayad A.H. ; Naji, Laith A. ; Almuktar, Suahd A. ; Abed, Suhail N. and Scholz, Miklas LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Activated sludge model, Domestic wastewater, Nutrients, Phragmites australis, Reed bed
- in
- Journal of Water Process Engineering
- volume
- 33
- article number
- 101003
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85074663114
- ISSN
- 2214-7144
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jwpe.2019.101003
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7a01e3c5-e609-44f5-a580-f78e107743ae
- date added to LUP
- 2019-11-15 13:05:04
- date last changed
- 2022-04-18 18:45:56
@article{7a01e3c5-e609-44f5-a580-f78e107743ae,
abstract = {{<p>Wastewater treatment and subsequent effluent recycling for non-drinking purposes such as irrigation contributes to the mitigation of the pressure on freshwater resources. In this study, two vertical sub-surface flow constructed wetland (VSSF-CW) pilot plants were operated to treat municipal wastewater and their effluents were reused for irrigation purposes. One of the wetlands was vegetated with Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (common reed) to compare its efficiency of pollutant removals with the non-vegetated system, which had the same design. COMSOL Multiphysics 3.5a was operated for the Activated Sludge Model 2 (ASM2) to predict the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia-nitrogen (NH<sub>4</sub>-N) concentrations. The effluent quality of both treatment systems was assessed for several parameters. Computer simulations show a good compliance between the measured and predicted values of COD and NH<sub>4</sub>-N for the vegetated system. The calibrated model could be effectively used to predict the behaviours of those parameters as a function of time. Moreover, the effluents of both vegetated (VFp) and non-vegetated (VF) VSSF-CW were significantly (p < 0.05) improved compared to influent. Significant (p < 0.05) effects due to the presence of P. australis were observed for removals of total suspended solids (TSS), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD<sub>5</sub>), COD, NH<sub>4</sub>-N and ortho-phosphate-phosphorus (PO<sub>4</sub>-P). However, significant increases (p < 0.05) were noted for electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate-nitrogen (NO<sub>3</sub>-N) and sulphate (SO<sub>4</sub>) of both effluents compared to the raw wastewater. Except for EC, NH<sub>4</sub>-N and SO<sub>4</sub>, all water quality parameters complied with irrigation water standards.</p>}},
author = {{Rahi, Muna A. and Faisal, Ayad A.H. and Naji, Laith A. and Almuktar, Suahd A. and Abed, Suhail N. and Scholz, Miklas}},
issn = {{2214-7144}},
keywords = {{Activated sludge model; Domestic wastewater; Nutrients; Phragmites australis; Reed bed}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Water Process Engineering}},
title = {{Biochemical performance modelling of non-vegetated and vegetated vertical subsurface-flow constructed wetlands treating municipal wastewater in hot and dry climate}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2019.101003}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jwpe.2019.101003}},
volume = {{33}},
year = {{2020}},
}