Bacterial community dynamics in horizontal flow constructed wetlands with different plants for high salinity industrial wastewater polishing

This study is focused on the diversity of bacterial communities from two series of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (CW) polishing high salinity tannery wastewater. Each series was planted with Arundo donax or Sarcocornia sp. in a substrate composed by expanded clay and sand. Chemical and biochemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies were similar in each series, varying between 58 and 67% (inlet COD 218 ± 28 mg L−1) and 60 and 77% (inlet BOD5 37 ± 6 mg L−1), respectively. High numbers of culturable bacteria were obtained from substrate and root samples – 5.75 × 106-3.95 × 108 CFU g−1 recovered on marine agar and 1.72 × 107-8.46 × 108 CFU g−1 on nutrient agar. Fifty bacterial isolates were retrieved from the CW, related phylogenetically to Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, α-, β-, and γ-Proteobacteria. Changes in the bacterial communities, from roots and substrate of each series, related to the plant species, hydraulic loading rates and along CW operation were examined using denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The clustering analysis suggested that a diverse and distinct bacterial community inhabits each series, which was related to the type of plant present in each CW.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tratamento de águas residuárias de suinocultura em sistemas alagados construídos, com Chrysopogon zizanioides e Polygonum punctatum cultivadas em leito de argila expandida

RESUMO No presente estudo avaliou-se a remoção de demanda bioquímica de oxigênio (DBO), nitrogênio total (NT) e fósforo total (PT) da água residuária de suinocultura (ARS) em sistemas alagados construídos (SACs) de escoamento horizontal subsuperficial, além da contribuição das espécies vegetais cultivadas: Polygonum punctatum (erva-de-bicho) e Chrysopogon zizanioides (capim-vetiver). Foram implantados três SACs, utilizando-se argila expandida como meio suporte, sendo um cultivado com P. punctatum (SACE), outro cultivado com C. zizanioides (SACV) e um mantido como controle, sem cultivo (SACC). Para um tempo de retenção hidráulica nominal (τ) de 3,2 dias, observou-se remoção de DBO, NT e PT, ao longo do período experimental, com eficiências médias de 85, 38 e 51% (SACC), 89, 48 e 69% (SACE) e 81, 36 e 45% (SACV), respectivamente. O melhor desempenho foi observado no SACE. Foram obtidas, em termos de matéria seca, produtividades de 2,79 e 1,91 g m-2 d-1 e remoções de NT de 1,54 e 1,01% e de PT de 0,81 e 1,19%, da carga aplicada, para a erva-de-bicho e o capim-vetiver, respectivamente

Presence of microbial pathogens and genetic diversity of Listeria monocytogenes in a constructed wetland system

The potential of constructed wetlands (CWs) as a low technology for wastewater treatment is timely but there is a need to understand the route of pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.) and indicator organisms (Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli) present in wastewater within those systems and to what extent they can compromise the further use of the plants (enabling in-house ornamental use) and water reuse (irrigation purposes). In the present study the fate of potential pathogenic bacteria within a CW, with ornamental plants, and an outlet pond established in a tourism house for wastewater treatment was assessed. The fate of pathogenic bacteria in lettuce, both plant tissues and soil, subject to irrigation with water contaminated either with L. monocytogenes or E. coli (indicator organism) was investigated. The uptake of indicator organisms by the CW ornamental plants was low and there was a decrease, from the CW wastewater inlet to the outlet, of up to 3 log for Enterobacteriaceae and up to 2 log for E. coli. Concerning Salmonella spp. no detection was registered in the water, plant tissues or substrate within the CW. On the other hand, several L. monocytogenes isolates were retrieved from water, root and substrate samples, found to have a high susceptibility to a battery of antibiotics. The irrigation of lettuce with water containing pathogenic bacteria (L. monocytogenes) and indicator organisms (E. coli) must be considered with caution since both bacteria were detected in the soil growing media and internalization of L. monocytogenes in roots was observed. These issues are poorly investigated and to our knowledge not addressed in the sphere of CWs. © 2017 ElsevierC.S.C. Calheiros (SFRH/BPD/63204/2009 and SFRH/BPD/109711/2015), V. Ferreira (SFRH/BPD/72617/2010) and R. Magalh?es (SFRH/BD/71704/2010) thank the grants from Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal), Fundo Social Europeu and Fundos Nacionais do MEC through the program QREN ? POPH ? Tipologia 4.1?Forma??o Avan?ada. This work was supported by National Funds from FCT ? Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia through project UID/Multi/50016/2013. The authors are thankful for the collaboration of Pa?o de Calheiros