Enhanced dissipation of trace level organic contaminants by floating treatment wetlands established with two macrophyte species: A mesocosm study. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hwang, Jeong-In; Hinz, Francisca Ordonez; Albano, Joseph P.; Wilson, Patrick Christopher
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 267(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: Canna -- Contaminant of emerging concern -- Floating treatment wetland -- Phytoremediation -- Sweetflag; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129159
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: This study evaluated removal efficiencies of six contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in floating treatment wetland (FTW) mesocosms established with either Japanese Sweetflag ( Acorus gramineus Sol. ex Aiton) or canna lilies ( Canna Hybrida L. 'Orange King Humbert'). The CECs included: acetaminophen (APAP), atrazine (ATZ), carbamazepine (CBZ), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and 17β-estradiol (E2). Each treatment was planted with different numbers of plants (i.e., 0, 10, 15, and 20), and the experiments lasted for 17 weeks. Dissipation of CECs was greater in planted treatments than in non-planted controls, and the planting number had little effect on dissipation of CECs. All residues of APAP and E2 dissipated rapidly within 2 weeks in all planted treatments. At the end of the experiment, residues of ATZ and SMX completely dissipated in the canna treatments, but not in the sweetflag treatments (75.8–87.6% and 96.3–97.1%, respectively). During the 17 week study, moderate dissipation of CBZ was observed in treatments including cannas (79.5–82.6%) and sweetflag (69.4–82.3%), while less dissipation was observed for PFOA (9.0–15.0% with sweetflag and 58.4–62.3% with cannas). Principal component analysis indicates that aqueous persistency of CECs and species of plants used influenced the dissipation of CECs in FTWs. Of the two species evaluated, canna was the most promising plant species for FTW systems designed to remove these CECs from surface water. Highlights: Floating treatment wetland (FTW) removed contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). FTW mesocosm systems with cannas removed more CECs than sweetflags. FTW-planting density did not influence CEC removals. The most influential factors for CEC removals were CEC persistency and plant species. Canna was the most promising plant species in FTW systems designed for CEC removals.