Influence of substrate depth and particle size on phosphorus removal in a surface flow constructed wetland

Abstract

Substrate adsorption is one of the main processes by which redundant phosphorus is removed from wastewater in surface flow constructed wetlands (SFCWs). The physical properties of the substrate, such as depth and particle size, will influence the amount of phosphorus adsorption. This study was carried out in a long-running intermittent inflow constructed wetland that covered a total area of 940.4 m2 in the Shunyi District of Beijing, China. We investigated how the concentrations of four phosphorus fractions, namely calcium phosphate (CaP), iron phosphate (FeP), adsorbed phosphorus (AdsP), and organic phosphorus (OP), varied between the surface (0–10 cm) and subsurface (10–20 cm) substrate and among the different substrate particle sizes. The total phosphorus concentrations in the substrate ranged from 154.97 to 194.69 mg/kg; CaP accounted for more than 80% of the total phosphorus content. The concentrations of OP were significantly higher in the surface layer than in the subsurface layer, but the concentrations of inorganic phosphorus were not significantly different between the two layers. The CaP, AdsP, and OP adsorption capacities were greater for small-sized substrate particles than for large-sized substrate particles. The results from this study provide a theoretical basis for the construction of constructed wetlands.