Three parallel units of pilot-scale constructed wetlands
(CWs),i.e., vertical
subsurface flow (VSF), horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) and free
water surface flow (FWS) wetland were experimented to assess their
capabilities in purifying eutrophic water of Taihu Lake, China.
Lake water was continuously pumped into the CWs at a hydraulic
loading rate of 0.64 m d-1for each treatment. One year's performance
displayed that average removal rates of chemical oxygen demand
(COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP)
were 17-40%, 23-46%, 34-65%, 20-52% and 35-66%, respectively. The
VSF and HSF showed statistically similar high potential for
nutrients removal except NH4+-N, with the former being 14% higher than that of
the latter. However, the FWS wetland showed the least effect
compared to the VSF and HSF at the high hydraulic loading rate.
Mean effluent TP concentrations in VSF (0.056 mg
L-1) and HSF
(0.052 mg L-1) nearly
reached Grade III (0.05 mg L-1for lakes and reserviors) water quality
standard of China. Wetland plants (Typha
angustifolia) grew well
in the three CWs. We noted that plant uptake and storage were both
important factors responsible for nitrogen and phosphorous removal
in the three CWs. However, harvesting of the above ground biomass
contributed 20% N and 57% P of the total N and P removed in FWS
wetland, whereas it accounted for only 5% and 7% N, and 14% and 17%
P of the total N and P removed in VSF and HSF CWs, respectively.
Our findings suggest that the constructed wetlands could well treat
the eutrophic lake waters in Taihu. If land limiting is considered,
VSF and HSF are more appropriate than FWS under higher hydraulic
loading rate.