Estimation of pollutants by PREWet model for surface flow constructed wetland in Egypt

Abstract EN

Constructed wetlands are artificial transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic system serving ecological functions such as fish, wildlife, waterfowl and aquatic plants.

They also trap sediments and pollutants, cycle nutrients, and reuse treated drainage water.

Treating and recycling drainage water in irrigation is a strategic Egyptian target.

Constructed wetland is an attractive alternative for treatment of Bahr El Baqar drainage water before reaching Egyptian Northern Lakes since it has low energy input and labour cost.

A demonstration wetland project has been established close to Lake Manzala in order to treat and reduce pollutants of drainage water that discharges at the lake.

Studies and researches are ongoing to evaluate the performance of the constructed wetland in treating polluted drainage water.

A wetland treatment performance model (PREWet 2.4) of the United States Corps of Engineers was applied to estimate the pollutant concentrations for free water surface (FWS) constructed wetland.

The model had two approaches based on mixed flow and plug flow.

Sensitivity analysis of different wetland parameters was carried out based on the model considered to verify the most significant design parameters.

The BOD, TSS, TP, TN, and total coliform bacteria were estimated and tested with the collected measured field data.

Generally, the mixed flow assumption of the model showed closer output results to the field data in case of TN, TP, TC, and Fe comparing with the plug flow approach.

Moreover, the plug flow approach showed relatively close results to the field data in case of BOD and TSS than the mixed flow approach.