Modelling copper removal in wetland ecosystems

The quantification of the assimilative capacity of heavy metals by wetland ecosystems is a critical component in the design and use of wetlands for metals removal. A computer model has been developed to simulate the fate and transport of copper introduced to a wetland ecosystem. Modeled water quality variables include phytoplankton biomass and productivity; macrophyte (Nelumbo lutea) biomass; total phosphorus in the water column; dissolved copper in the water column and sediments; particulate copper in the water column and sediments; and suspended solids. The model was calibrated using total phosphorus and chlorophyll a data from the Old Woman Creek wetland in Ohio. Verification of the model was achieved using data on the copper content of the macrophyte Nelumbo lutea.