Constructed wetlands (CWs) are systems widely used for wastewater treatment where organic pollution are also removed through volatilization of various greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2 and CH4. Many studies have been carried out on plants effect on GHGs emission in CW, but only few in Mediterranean basin. In this study the effects of 5 different plant species (Mischantus giganteus, Cyperus papyrus, Vetiveria zizanioides, Arundo donax and Phragmites australis) on CO2 and CH4 emission were evaluated in an horizontal subsurface flow beds pilot plant treating urban wastewater in Sicily. CO2 and CH4 emissions showed both species-specific and seasonality effects. Mischantus and Arundo beds showed a significatively higher CO2 emissions in the fall, 25.0±5.1 and 24.0±1.8 g m-2 d-1 respectively whereas the other species showed higher emissions in the summer (6.4±0.9, 22.3±3.9 and 7.0±2.6 g m-2 d-1 respectively for Papyrus, Phragmites and Vetiver). The higher CH4 emissions for all species were recorded in the summer season, almost null were measured in the winter one. Significative differences between the plant species were monitored in the summer with the highest CH4 emission for the bed vegetated with Vetiver (1100.0±763.5 mg m-2 d-1).
CO2 and CH4 emission from constructed wetland pilot plant vegetated with five different species in Mediterranean basin
MILANI, MIRCO;BARBERA, Antonio Carlo
2013-01-01
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are systems widely used for wastewater treatment where organic pollution are also removed through volatilization of various greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2 and CH4. Many studies have been carried out on plants effect on GHGs emission in CW, but only few in Mediterranean basin. In this study the effects of 5 different plant species (Mischantus giganteus, Cyperus papyrus, Vetiveria zizanioides, Arundo donax and Phragmites australis) on CO2 and CH4 emission were evaluated in an horizontal subsurface flow beds pilot plant treating urban wastewater in Sicily. CO2 and CH4 emissions showed both species-specific and seasonality effects. Mischantus and Arundo beds showed a significatively higher CO2 emissions in the fall, 25.0±5.1 and 24.0±1.8 g m-2 d-1 respectively whereas the other species showed higher emissions in the summer (6.4±0.9, 22.3±3.9 and 7.0±2.6 g m-2 d-1 respectively for Papyrus, Phragmites and Vetiver). The higher CH4 emissions for all species were recorded in the summer season, almost null were measured in the winter one. Significative differences between the plant species were monitored in the summer with the highest CH4 emission for the bed vegetated with Vetiver (1100.0±763.5 mg m-2 d-1).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
