investigation on this issue will provide better insight on the processes taking place
within the system.
The disinfection step also proves to be very effective, since practically no
microbiological contamination is detected in the final treated effluent, after the UV
stage. In another study on aerated constructed wetland used as tertiary stage, it is
reported that the aerated system alone provided significant log reduction of pathogenic bacteria, satisfying the local standard for effluent discharge to the environment
(Stefanakis et al. 2019). This is another significant potential that aerated wetland
technology can possess that is worthy of further investigation.
7.4
Conclusions
The presented full-scale constructed wetland facility is one of the first in Middle East
using this novel design, which combines a vertical flow constructed wetland and an
aerated constructed wetland. The advantage of this design is that it integrates sludge
accumulation and mineralization, i.e. eliminating the need for additional sludge
management and handling equipment and related costs, while it provides an effluent
quality appropriate for reuse (i.e. irrigation of green areas). Furthermore, this wetland design has one of the lowest footprints (1.6 m
2 /PE), reducing thus the area
demand when compared to passive wetland systems. This makes such designs more
attractive for areas where space availability is an issue. The overall performance of
the facility under real operating conditions proves the effectiveness of the applied
design even under harsh environmental, such as dry and arid areas.
References
Butterworth E, Dotro G, Jones M, Richards A, Onunkwo P, Narroway Y, Jefferson B (2013) Effect
of artificial aeration on tertiary nitrification in a full-scale subsurface horizontal flow constructed
wetland. Ecol Eng 54:236–244
Butterworth E, Richards A, Jones M, Mansi G, Ranieri E, Dotro G, Jefferson B (2016) Performance
of four full-scale artificially aerated horizontal flow constructed wetlands for domestic wastewater treatment. Water 8:365. https://doi.org/10.3390/w8090365
Chazarenc F, Gagnon V, Comeau Y, Brisson J (2009) Effect of plant and artificial aeration on solids
accumulation and biological activities in constructed wetlands. Ecol Eng 35:1005–1010
Cooper P, Smith M, Maynard H (1997) The design and performance of a nitrifying vertical-flow
reed bed treatment system. Water Sci Technol 35(5):215–221
Dong H, Qiang Z, Li T, Jin H, Chen W (2012) Effect of artificial aeration on the performance of
vertical-flow constructed wetland treating heavily polluted river water. J Environ Sci 24
(4):596–601
Fan J, Liang S, Zhang B, Zhang J (2013) Enhanced organics and nitrogen removal in batchoperated vertical flow constructed wetlands by combination of intermittent aeration and step
feeding strategy. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:2448–2455
Kuschk P, Wiebner A, Kappelmeyer U, Weibbrodt E, Kaestner M, Stottmeister U (2003) Annual
cycle of nitrogen removal by a pilot-scale subsurface horizontal flow in a constructed wetland
under moderate climate. Water Res 37:4236–4242
7 A Two-Stage Constructed Wetland Design Integrating Artificial Aeration and. . .
209
within the system.
The disinfection step also proves to be very effective, since practically no
microbiological contamination is detected in the final treated effluent, after the UV
stage. In another study on aerated constructed wetland used as tertiary stage, it is
reported that the aerated system alone provided significant log reduction of pathogenic bacteria, satisfying the local standard for effluent discharge to the environment
(Stefanakis et al. 2019). This is another significant potential that aerated wetland
technology can possess that is worthy of further investigation.
7.4
Conclusions
The presented full-scale constructed wetland facility is one of the first in Middle East
using this novel design, which combines a vertical flow constructed wetland and an
aerated constructed wetland. The advantage of this design is that it integrates sludge
accumulation and mineralization, i.e. eliminating the need for additional sludge
management and handling equipment and related costs, while it provides an effluent
quality appropriate for reuse (i.e. irrigation of green areas). Furthermore, this wetland design has one of the lowest footprints (1.6 m
2 /PE), reducing thus the area
demand when compared to passive wetland systems. This makes such designs more
attractive for areas where space availability is an issue. The overall performance of
the facility under real operating conditions proves the effectiveness of the applied
design even under harsh environmental, such as dry and arid areas.
References
Butterworth E, Dotro G, Jones M, Richards A, Onunkwo P, Narroway Y, Jefferson B (2013) Effect
of artificial aeration on tertiary nitrification in a full-scale subsurface horizontal flow constructed
wetland. Ecol Eng 54:236–244
Butterworth E, Richards A, Jones M, Mansi G, Ranieri E, Dotro G, Jefferson B (2016) Performance
of four full-scale artificially aerated horizontal flow constructed wetlands for domestic wastewater treatment. Water 8:365. https://doi.org/10.3390/w8090365
Chazarenc F, Gagnon V, Comeau Y, Brisson J (2009) Effect of plant and artificial aeration on solids
accumulation and biological activities in constructed wetlands. Ecol Eng 35:1005–1010
Cooper P, Smith M, Maynard H (1997) The design and performance of a nitrifying vertical-flow
reed bed treatment system. Water Sci Technol 35(5):215–221
Dong H, Qiang Z, Li T, Jin H, Chen W (2012) Effect of artificial aeration on the performance of
vertical-flow constructed wetland treating heavily polluted river water. J Environ Sci 24
(4):596–601
Fan J, Liang S, Zhang B, Zhang J (2013) Enhanced organics and nitrogen removal in batchoperated vertical flow constructed wetlands by combination of intermittent aeration and step
feeding strategy. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:2448–2455
Kuschk P, Wiebner A, Kappelmeyer U, Weibbrodt E, Kaestner M, Stottmeister U (2003) Annual
cycle of nitrogen removal by a pilot-scale subsurface horizontal flow in a constructed wetland
under moderate climate. Water Res 37:4236–4242
7 A Two-Stage Constructed Wetland Design Integrating Artificial Aeration and. . .
209