The Effect of Effluent Recirculation in a Full-Scale Constructed Wetland System

José Alberto Herrera-Melián, Rayco Guedes-Alonso, Jean Carlos Tite-Lezcano, Dunia E. Santiago (), Ezio Ranieri and Ignacio Alonso-Bilbao
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José Alberto Herrera-Melián: University Institute of Environmental Studies and Natural Resources (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Rayco Guedes-Alonso: University Institute of Environmental Studies and Natural Resources (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Jean Carlos Tite-Lezcano: University Institute of Environmental Studies and Natural Resources (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Dunia E. Santiago: University Institute of Environmental Studies and Natural Resources (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Ezio Ranieri: Department of Biology, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
Ignacio Alonso-Bilbao: Oceanography and Global Change Institute (IOCAG), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: This study deals with the effect of effluent recirculation (ER) on the pollutant removal efficacy of a full-scale, hybrid treatment system composed of a macrophyte pond and a horizontal flow constructed wetland. The average removals of 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, total N (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 -N), total phosphorus (TP), sulfates, E. coli and Total coliforms (TC) for the years 2017–2018 (no recirculation), 2019 (50% recirculation) and 2021 (100% recirculation) were compared. Results show a general improvement of the effluent with ER. Removals for 0%, 50% and 100% ER, respectively, were: 59%, 61% and 66% for COD; 90%, 96% and 96% for BOD; 94%, 94% and 99% for TSS; 33%, 40% and 67% for TN; 22%, 30% and 55% for NH 4 -N; 92%, 98% and 96% for sulfates; 99.6%, 99.7% and 99.9% for E. coli ; and 99.5%, 99.7% and 9.9% for TC. No clear effect was observed on the removal of TP and dissolved PO 4 -P, which were very low. 50% ER improved turbidity removal from 88% to 91%, but 100% ER provided worse results. The removal of NH 4 -N and TN significantly improved with 100% ER. This indicates that ER can be a simple, economic, and feasible way to upgrade the performance of full-scale natural wastewater treatment systems.

Keywords: constructed wetland; effluent recirculation; improved performance; macrophyte pond; wastewater treatment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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