Nitrogen and potassium variation on contaminant removal for a vertical subsurface flow lab scale constructed wetland

Lab scale constructed wetlands were used to evaluate organic load removal efficiency. Bioreactors were fed with synthetic wastewater (SW) with varying concentrations of nitrogen and potassium. Reactors were planted with species Phragmites australis. Fed theoretic COD was adjusted to 240.0 mg-O2 L−1, nitrogen levels were 10 and 40 mg-N L−1 (ammonium sulfate), potassium levels were 5 and 31 mg-K L−1 (potassium monobasic phosphate). The higher biomass yield, for 0.5 and 0.775 N:K ratios, was related with higher organic load removal. The ratio N:K showed significant differences for organic load abatement, when 1:0.5 and 1:0.775 N:K ratios were applied, 96.8% efficiency was obtained, whereas N:K ratio of 1:0.125 had efficiency of 92.1% and N:K ratio of 1:3.1 showed an efficiency of 90.5%. For planted bioreactor EH decreased in 162.7 mV from sample port to 5 cm down to 35 cm depth, while for the bioreactor without plant showed an EH decrement of only 17.7 mV.