Vertical subsurface flow and free surface flow constructed wetlands for sustainable power generation and real wastewater selective pollutants removal

Abstract EN

A vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland (VSSFCW) and a free surface flow constructed wetland (FSFCW) were set for the objective of comparison the performance of two systems in order to make a decision of the better one for future installation of wastewater treatment system and power generation.

Both of the constructed wetlands were planted with Cyperus Alternifolius.

During the observation period (19 days or 456 hours), environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, total chemical oxygen demand (COD), phosphate (PO4), nitrate (NO3) ,total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), Pb, Cu, and Cd removal efficiencies of the systems were determined.

According to the results, final removal efficiencies for the VSSF and FWSF, respectively, were: COD (94.3% and 94.3%),PO4 (84.3% and 75.3%), NO3 (100% and 100%), TSS (96.8% and 85.6%), Pb (65.8% and 81.4%), Cu (more than 94.7% and 89.4%), Cd (85.7% and 88%).

The treatment performances of the VSSF were better than that of the FWSF with regard to the removal of suspended solids and nutrients.

In FWSF systems, electricity generation performed better than VSSF of 31.4 mV especially with batch system during one wastewater feed is loaded among all of the nineteen days with maximum voltage of 33.7 mV and decreased gradually as oxygen depletion in cathode chamber and less metabolism processes has occurred.