scholarly journals Assessing METland® Design and Performance Through LCA: Techno-Environmental Study With Multifunctional Unit Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Peñacoba-Antona ◽  
Jorge Senán-Salinas ◽  
Arantxa Aguirre-Sierra ◽  
Pedro Letón ◽  
Juan José Salas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Organic Pollutant ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Environmental Study ◽  
External Energy ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
N Removal

Conventional wastewater treatment technologies are costly and energy demanding; such issues are especially remarkable when small communities have to clean up their pollutants. In response to these requirements, a new variety of nature-based solution, so-called METland®, has been recently develop by using concepts from Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (MET) to outperform classical constructed wetland regarding wastewater treatment. Thus, the current study evaluates two operation modes (aerobic and aerobic–anoxic) of a full-scale METland®, including a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted under a Net Environmental Balance perspective. Moreover, a combined technical and environmental analysis using a Net Eutrophication Balance (NEuB) focus concluded that the downflow (aerobic) mode achieved the highest removal rates for both organic pollutant and nitrogen, and it was revealed as the most environmentally friendly design. Actually, aerobic configuration outperformed anaero/aero-mixed mode in a fold-range from 9 to 30%. LCA was indeed recalculated under diverse Functional Units (FU) to determine the influence of each FU in the impacts. Furthermore, in comparison with constructed wetland, METland® showed a remarkable increase in wastewater treatment capacity per surface area (0.6 m2/pe) without using external energy. Specifically, these results suggest that aerobic–anoxic configuration could be more environmentally friendly under specific situations where high N removal is required. The removal rates achieved demonstrated a robust adaptation to influent variations, revealing a removal average of 92% of Biology Oxygen Demand (BOD), 90% of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), 40% of total nitrogen (TN), and 30% of total phosphorus (TP). Moreover, regarding the global warming category, the overall impact was 75% lower compared to other conventional treatments like activated sludge. In conclusion, the LCA revealed that METland® appears as ideal solution for rural areas, considering the low energy requirements and high efficiency to remove organic pollutants, nitrogen, and phosphates from urban wastewater.

Efficiency of removal of nitrogen, phosphorus, and zinc from domestic wastewater by a constructed wetland system in rural areas: a case study

2008 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 2427-2433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaoru Abe ◽  
Michio Komada ◽  
Akihito Ookuma
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Removal Rate ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
Total N ◽  
Household Wastewater ◽  
Percentage Removal ◽  
Total P

The effluent from the combined household wastewater treatment facilities used in unsewered areas of Japan is generally high in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). In Japan, environmental quality standards for zinc (Zn) pollution were enacted recently because of the toxicity of Zn to aquatic ecosystems. In 2004 a fallow paddy field at the Koibuchi College of Agriculture and Nutrition was converted into a surface-water-flow constructed wetland (500 m2) to clean the effluent from the combined household wastewater treatment facility of a dormitory (100 residents) before discharge to a pond. We evaluated N and P removal efficiencies and the fate of soluble Zn in the wetland from April 2006 to March 2007. Wetland influent contained an average of 18.3 mg L−1 total N and 1.86 mg L−1 total P. In the effluent from the wetland, average total N concentration was 10.3 mg L−1 and average total P was 0.90 mg L−1. Average removal rates were 0.37 g m−2 d−1 for total N and 0.050 g m−2 d−1 for total P (percentage removal rates of 40% and 48%, respectively). Soluble Zn concentration decreased from 0.041 in the influent to 0.023 mg L−1 after passing through the wetland. The average Zn removal rate during the year was 0.0007 g m−2 d−1 (percentage removal rate 37%).

Long-term nitrogen compound removal trends of a hybrid subsurface constructed wetland treating milking parlor wastewater throughout its 7 years of operation

2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 1018-1024 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Harada ◽  
T. Inoue ◽  
K. Kato ◽  
H. Izumoto ◽  
X. Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Nitrogen Compound ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
N Removal ◽  
Transformation Mechanisms ◽  
Water Recirculation ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Northern Japan

This study evaluated the nitrogen compound removal efficiency of a hybrid subsurface constructed wetland, which began treating milking parlor wastewater in Hokkaido, northern Japan, in 2006. The wetland's overall removal rates of total nitrogen (TN) and ammonium (NH4+-N) improved after the second year of operation, and its rate of organic nitrogen (Org-N) removal was stable at 90% efficiency. Only nitrate (NO3−-N) levels were increased following the treatment. Despite increased NO3−-N (maximum of 3 mg-N/L) levels, TN removal rates were only slightly affected. Removal rates of TN and Org-N were highest in the first vertical bed. NH4+-N removal rates were highest in the second vertical bed, presumably due to water recirculation and pH adjustment. Concentrations of NO3−-N appeared when total carbon (TC) levels were low, which suggests that low TC prevented complete denitrification in the second vertical bed and the final horizontal bed. In practice, the beds removed more nitrogen than the amount theoretically removed by denitrification, as calculated by the amount of carbon removed from the system. This carbon-nitrogen imbalance may be due to other nitrogen transformation mechanisms, which require less carbon.

Rural domestic wastewater treatment in Norway and Poland: experiences, cooperation and concepts on the improvement of constructed wetland technology

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 776-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Paruch ◽  
T. Mæhlum ◽  
H. Obarska-Pempkowiak ◽  
M. Gajewska ◽  
E. Wojciechowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Additional Treatment ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Biogenic Elements ◽  
Treatment Efficiency ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment

This article describes Norwegian and Polish experiences concerning domestic wastewater treatment obtained during nearly 20 years of operation for constructed wetland (CW) systems in rural areas and scattered settlements. The Norwegian CW systems revealed a high performance with respect to the removal of organic matter, biogenic elements and faecal indicator bacteria. The performance of the Polish CW systems was unstable, and varied between unsatisfied and satisfied treatment efficiency provided by horizontal and vertical flow CWs, respectively. Therefore, three different concepts related to the improvement of CW technology have been developed and implemented in Poland. These concepts combined some innovative solutions originally designed in Norway (e.g. an additional treatment step in biofilters) with Polish inspiration for new CWs treating rural domestic wastewater. The implementation of full-scale systems will be evaluated with regard to treatment efficiency and innovative technology; based on this, a further selection of the most favourable CW for rural areas and scattered settlements will be performed.

scholarly journals Performance of an On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Using Reactive Filter Media and a Sequencing Batch Constructed Wetland

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajabu Hamisi ◽  
Agnieszka Renman ◽  
Gunno Renman
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Nutrient Recycling ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Entire System ◽  
Filter Media ◽  
Treatment Performance

Many on-site wastewater treatment systems, such as soil treatment systems, are not sustainable in terms of purification efficiency, nutrient recycling potential, and economics. In this case study, a sequencing batch constructed wetland (SBCW) was designed and added after a package treatment plant (PTP) using reactive filter media for phosphorus (P) removal and recycling. The treatment performance of the entire system in the start-up phase and its possible applicability in rural areas were investigated. Raw and treated effluents were sampled during a period of 25 weeks and analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, BOD7, and bacteria. Field measurements were made of wastewater flow, electrical conductivity, oxygen, and temperature. The entire system removed total-P and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) by 83% and 22%, respectively. High salt concentration and very low wastewater temperature were possible reasons for these unexpectedly low P and TIN removal efficiencies. In contrast, removal rates of bacteria (Escherichia coli, enterococci) and organic matter (as BOD) were high, due to filtration in the alkaline medium Polonite® (Ecofiltration Nordic AB, Stockholm, Sweden) and the fine sand used as SBCW substrate. High pH in effluent from the PTP was efficiently reduced to below pH 9 in the SBCW, meeting recommendations by environmental authorities in Sweden. We concluded that treating cold on-site wastewater can impair treatment performance and that technical measures are needed to improve SBCW performance.

COD and NH4-N Removal in Two-Stage Batch-Flow Constructed Wetland

2013 ◽  
Vol 448-453 ◽  
pp. 604-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Jie Sun ◽  
Xin Nan Deng ◽  
Rui Chen
Keyword(s):  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Removal Rate ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Ammonia Nitrogen ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
N Removal ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment

Research was conducted on pilot-scale, two-stage batch-flow constructed wetland systems for domestic wastewater treatment. Synthetic domestic wastewater was treated in a pre-acidification reactor with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 hours and the average removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia-nitrogen (NH4-N) reached 30% and 13.6%, respectively. The first-stage constructed wetland operated with up-flow and batch feed and drain. One cycle was 12h, including 6h feed and 6h drain. With HRT of 3 days, the effluent COD concentrations fluctuated from 32.5 mg/L to 103.4 mg/L, removal rates varied from 60% to 88%; effluent NH4-N concentrations were in the range of 4.8 mg/L to 10.8 mg/L, removal rates varied from 50% to 70%. The second-stage constructed wetland operated with down-flow, which one cycle was 24h, including 12h feed and 12h drain. With HRT of 1 day, effluent COD concentrations varied from 15.7 mg/L to 48.7 mg/L, removal averaged 53.2%; effluent NH4-N concentrations ranged from 0 mg/L to 0.4 mg/L, average removal exceeded 99%. The spatial variation of COD and NH4-N in the first-stage constructed wetland demonstrated that entrainment of air during draining of constructed wetland could strengthen the removal of COD and NH4-N. Temperature had no significant effect on COD degradation while obviously affected the removal of NH4-N.

scholarly journals Potential of Constructed Wetland for Wastewater Treatment in Rural Areas in Kosovo

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lavdim Osmanaj ◽  
Agon Haxhikadrija ◽  
Pierre-Henri Dodane ◽  
Astrit Vokshi
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Rural Areas

Performance of Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland of Application of Oily Wastewater

2012 ◽  
Vol 253-255 ◽  
pp. 965-968
Author(s):  
Xu Yang ◽  
Xue Ping Zhang ◽  
Ji Fu Wang ◽  
Bao Jian Wang ◽  
Xin Qi Guo
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Mineral Oil ◽  
Horizontal Flow ◽  
Oily Wastewater ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland ◽  
The Mean

In order to evaluate the effects of constructed wetland treating oily wastewater, wastewater treatment was monitored during five months. The results showed that when the influent flux was 1.2m3/d, the mean removal rates of COD, TN, NH4+-N and mineral oil in the horizontal flow constructed wetland were 54.27%, 53.47%,54.84% and 50.19%, respectively. Constructed wetland had better removal efficiency and run stably in the treatment process of oily wastewater.

Construction and maintenance cost analyzing of constructed wetland systems

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Gunes ◽  
B. Tuncsiper ◽  
F. Masi ◽  
S. Ayaz ◽  
D. Leszczynska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Constructed Wetlands ◽  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Subsurface Flow ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Operational Costs ◽  
Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland ◽  
Wetland System ◽  
Horizontal Subsurface Flow

Nowadays, use of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment especially in rural areas has become increasingly preferable. The most important reason behind this fact is its relatively low investment cost over other treatment options depending on economical conditions of the country. Nonetheless, due to lower operational costs of constructed wetlands than other conventional wastewater treatment systems, investment costs could be regarded secondary as of importance. Investment costs could show differences even at regional scale in a country. Choosing a constructed wetland system among “Subsurface Horizontal Flow”, “Subsurface Vertical Flow” or “Free Water Surface Flow”; or designing a hybrid system using concurrent systems plays important role when defining costs of the constructed wetland systems. Due to increasing interest for constructed wetlands since 2003, so many constructed wetland systems have been built in rural parts of Turkey and most of these systems have been designed as horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland system. As a fact, the cost of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands is comparatively higher than other wetland systems. When different applications in the world are examined, it is observed that mostly horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland systems are preferred in rural areas. According to the studies within the extent of this work, different constructed wetland types which are built in different regions of Turkey and their expected and realized costs are analyzed and compared with other countries. Moreover, operational costs have been calculated. Consequently, a work to be taken as reference for further scientific studies has been prepared with presented wetland analyses which could be used by especially decision makers and researchers.

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