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Removal of selected emerging PPCP compounds using greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) based lab-scale free water constructed wetland

Li, J; Zhou, Q; Campos, LC; (2017) Removal of selected emerging PPCP compounds using greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) based lab-scale free water constructed wetland. Water Research , 126 pp. 252-261. 10.1016/j.watres.2017.09.002. Green open access

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Abstract

Greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) based lab-scale free water constructed wetland (CW) was employed for removing four emerging pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) (i.e. DEET, paracetamol, caffeine and triclosan). Orthogonal design was used to test the effect of light intensity, aeration, E.coli abundance and plant biomass on the target compounds. Synthetic wastewater contaminated with the target compounds at concentration of 25 μg/L was prepared, and both batch and continuous flow experiments were conducted. Up to 100% removals were achieved for paracetamol (PAR), caffeine (CAF) and tricolsan (TCS) while the highest removal for DEET was 32.2% in batch tests. Based on orthogonal Duncan analysis, high light intensity (240 μmolmm(-2)s(-1)), full aeration, high plant biomass (1.00 kg/m(2)) and high E.coli abundance (1.0 × 10(6) CFU/100 mL) favoured elimination of the PPCPs. Batch verification test achieved removals of 17.1%, 98.8%, 96.4% and 95.4% for DEET, PAR, CAF and TCS respectively. Continuous flow tests with CW only and CW followed by stabilization tank (CW-ST) were carried out. Final removals of the PPCP contaminants were 32.6%, 97.7%, 98.0% and 100% for DEET, PAR, CAF and TCS, respectively, by CW system alone, while 43.3%, 97.5%, 98.2% and 100%, respectively, were achieved by CW-ST system. By adding the ST tank, PPCP concentrations decreased significantly faster (p < 0.05) compared with continuous flow CW alone. In addition, after removing aerators during continuous flow CW experiments, the treatment systems presented good stability for the PPCP removals. CW-ST showed better chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) removals (89.3%, 91.2%, respectively) than CW only (79.4%, 85.2%, respectively). However, poor DEET removal (<50%) and high E.coli abundance (up to 1.7 log increase) in the final treated water indicated further treatment processes may be required. Statistical analysis showed significant correlations (p < 0.05) between PPCPs and water quality parameters (e.g. COD, nitrate, phosphate), and between the four PPCP compounds for the continuous flow CW and CW-ST systems. Positive results encourage further test of Greater duckweed at pilot scale CW using real wastewater.

Type: Article
Title: Removal of selected emerging PPCP compounds using greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) based lab-scale free water constructed wetland
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.09.002
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.09.002
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Constructed wetland, Greater duckweed, Orthogonal design, PPCPs, Stabilization tank, Treatment
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Civil, Environ and Geomatic Eng
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10022836
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