TY - JOUR
T1 - Phosphorus removal efficiency by in-stream constructed wetlands treating agricultural runoff
T2 - Influence of vegetation and design
AU - Kill, Keit
AU - Grinberga, Linda
AU - Koskiaho, Jari
AU - Mander, Ülo
AU - Wahlroos, Outi
AU - Lauva, Didzis
AU - Pärn, Jaan
AU - Kasak, Kuno
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Estonian Research Council (grants no. PSG631 , PSG714 , PRG352 , MOBERC20 and SLTOM19480 Water JPI RainSolutions) and by the European Union (EU) through the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence EcolChange). The studies at the Nummela Gateway site were kindly supported by the EU Life+ ENV/FI/911 Urban Oases grant, the Ministry of the Environment Finland and the Maa- ja vesitekniikan tuki ry Foundation . During the Urban Oases project, discrete water sampling was carried out by the Water Protection Association of the River Vantaa and Helsinki Region and continuous water monitoring was carried out by Luode Consulting Oy.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - With population growth, demand for agricultural products has increased, which affects agriculture, fertiliser use and land management. Due to nutrient inputs from arable areas, the water quality of rivers and lakes near agricultural lands has deteriorated. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are one of the measures used to improve water quality through natural water treatment processes. We studied phosphorus removal in relation to environmental characteristics in five in-stream free surface flow CWs in Finland, Estonia and Latvia. Wetland/catchment area ratios varied from 0.1% to 5%. Three CWs were covered in dense vegetation. On average, the Vända CW and Hovi CW TP removal efficiency throughout the study period were highest (32.1 ± 3.6% and 34.9 ± 4.4%, respectively) among all studied CWs. Nummela Gateway CW, Rantamo-Seitteli CW and Mezaciruli CW showed lower TP removal efficiency and on many occasions the outflow concentration exceeded the inflow concentration in Rantamo-Seitteli and Mezaciruli CW. Vegetation cover emerged as the most important factor in the treatment efficiency of in-stream CWs, reducing flow rate, increasing water retention time and decreasing probability of the CW becoming a source of phosphorus during flood events.
AB - With population growth, demand for agricultural products has increased, which affects agriculture, fertiliser use and land management. Due to nutrient inputs from arable areas, the water quality of rivers and lakes near agricultural lands has deteriorated. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are one of the measures used to improve water quality through natural water treatment processes. We studied phosphorus removal in relation to environmental characteristics in five in-stream free surface flow CWs in Finland, Estonia and Latvia. Wetland/catchment area ratios varied from 0.1% to 5%. Three CWs were covered in dense vegetation. On average, the Vända CW and Hovi CW TP removal efficiency throughout the study period were highest (32.1 ± 3.6% and 34.9 ± 4.4%, respectively) among all studied CWs. Nummela Gateway CW, Rantamo-Seitteli CW and Mezaciruli CW showed lower TP removal efficiency and on many occasions the outflow concentration exceeded the inflow concentration in Rantamo-Seitteli and Mezaciruli CW. Vegetation cover emerged as the most important factor in the treatment efficiency of in-stream CWs, reducing flow rate, increasing water retention time and decreasing probability of the CW becoming a source of phosphorus during flood events.
KW - Diffuse agricultural pollution
KW - Flow rate
KW - Phosphorus removal
KW - Vegetation coverage
KW - Vegetation development
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85129269643&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2022.106664
DO - 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2022.106664
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85129269643
SN - 0925-8574
VL - 180
JO - Ecological Engineering
JF - Ecological Engineering
M1 - 106664
ER -
