POLISHING DOMESTIC WASTEWATER ON A SUBSURFACE FLOW CONSTRUCTED WETLAND: ORGANIC MATTER REMOVAL AND MICROBIAL MONITORING

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

Aguiar Pinto Mina, IAP (Author) Other; Costa, M (Author) Other; Matos, A (Author) Other; Sousa Coutinho Calheiros, CSC (Author) Other; Castro, PML (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Journal of Phytoremediation

Vol. 13

Pages: 947-958

ISSN: 1522-6514

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 10 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-YTS

DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2010.532182

Abstract (EN): Microbial monitoring of constructed wetlands (CWs) treating domestic wastewater is generally scarce, despite the need of more knowledge about its biocenosis. The sanitation quality of a wastewater treated in a CW is a crucial aspect, mainly when the receiving water body is used as a swimming and/or recreation area. The present study was carried out in a horizontal subsurface flow CW planted with Phragmites australis receiving pre-treated domestic wastewater (mean flow 50 m(3) day(-1)), from a population of about 300 inhabitants. The monitoring programme undertaken during the first year operation, revealed removal efficiencies of 61% BOD5, 44% COD, and 65% TSS for inlet water with ca. 90 mg L-1 BOD5, 157 mg L-1 COD, and 17 mg L-1 TSS. Total Coliform (TC) and Faecal Coliform (FC) bacteria were removed from wastewater (mean inlet values of 5 x 10(6) CFU 100 mL(-1) TC and of 9 x 10(5)CFU 100 mL(-1) FC), with efficiencies of 92 and 97%, respectively. The dynamics of microbial communities established in the system assessed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), had revealed a high bacterial diversity within the system, with no relevant differences in composition at the CW inlet and outlet but exhibiting temporal differences in bacterial communities.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12