Influence of loading rates and feeding conditions on hybrid constructed wetlands integrated with microbial fuel

The present study had as objective to evaluate the influence of different operation conditions on two treatment systems composed of anerobic biofilter (AF) and hybrid constructed wetlands (CWs). Both treatment lines had as the first treatment stages an 1450 L AF unit and a CW designed as a Floating Treatment Wetland. Then, a pump directed half of the wastewater flow for each of the treatment lines. One of the lines was composed of a Vertical Flow CW incorporated with microbial fuel cells (CW-MFC), called Configuration 1 (C1), whereas the other line consisted of a Vertical Flow CW (VFCW) and a Horizontal Flow CW (HFCW), named Configuration 2 (C2). The treatment system was fed with wastewater generated in a university campus and monitored for 13 months, with three operation conditions tested: 3 pulses per day with 50 L each (20.5 L/m2day); 4 pulses with 75 L each (41 L/ m2day) and 6 pulses with 75 L each (61.6 L/m2day). In addition, the potential bioenergy generated was monitored. For the last operation condition, C1 efficiently reduced BOD5 (88.7%) and turbidity (84.4%). On the other hand, for the nutrients the treatment efficiencies were lower, with 40.3% (TP) and 46.6% (N- NH3). Overall, similar results were obtained with the C2, with mean removal efficiencies of BOD5 (87.3%), turbidity (93.1%), and lower TP (10.4%) reduction. The treatment performance presented similar tendencies even with the changes in loading rates and in hydraulic retention times. Regarding the voltage monitoring, a peak of 687 mV was obtained considering a mean loading rate of 15.6 gCOD/m2day, whereas the maximum power density was 0.25 mW/m. Future research should focus on reducing the internal resistance of the CW system, thus increasing the bioelectricity generated and in treating wastewater with higher organic matter content.

Automated summary

The study aimed to evaluate the influence of different operation conditions on two treatment systems composed of anaerobic biofilter (AF) and hybrid constructed wetlands (CWs). The results showed that the treatment performance of both systems was similar under different loading rates, efficiently removing BOD5 and turbidity, but with lower removal efficiencies for nutrients (TP and N-NH3).