Long term application of a constructed wetland for phytoremediation of domestic wastewater: macrofauna biodiversity assessment

Constructed wetlands (CW) are engineered systems, phytoremediation based, that mimic several processes (physical, biological, and chemical) that occur in natural wetlands. They comprise several components, impermeabilization liners and substrate, and as the key elements the plants and their associated microorganisms. They were thought primarily for wastewater treatment but nowadays are considered a nature-based solution of excellence in terms of flexibility of their application and services provided. In the present study, the phytoremediation potential of a real scale constructed wetland to treat wastewater from a tourism unity is addressed. The CW was implemented in 2010 at Paço de Calheiros, a tourism house integrated in a rural area. The CW was designed to be placed after a previously installed septic tank that acted as the main treatment before the CW was established. It is a horizontal subsurface flow system planted with a polyculture of Agapanthus africanus, Canna flaccida, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Canna indica, and Watsonia borbonica. The aim of the study is to monitor the efficiency of a CW, after long term operation, based on phytoremediation processes, to treat the wastewater from the tourism unit. Wastewater quality will be assessed through the analysis of physic-chemical and microbiological parameters towards its reuse for irrigation purposes. The biodiversity of macrofauna communities associated to the rhizosphere of selected plants and substrate will be studied.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biodiversity associated to a floating wetland island in a freshwater pond

Floating wetland islands (FWI) are considered nature-based solutions that can be applied in different water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, in order to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services. They are recognized to promote local biodiversity, aesthetic integration and provide water quality enhancement through phytoremediation processes, although research is still needed to go deeper on the processes underlying the performance of these systems. The aim of this study was to assess de biodiversity associated to a FWI made of cork agglomerate, set up in 2018 in a freshwater pond. A polyculture comprising the plant species Iris germanica, Acorus gramineus, Caltha palustris, and Typha latifolia was considered. The culturable bacterial communities associated to the floating platform biofilm and to the plant rhizosphere were analyzed. The bacterial isolates were identified by 16S rRNA and characterized for their ability to produce plant growth promoting substances (e.g., indole-acetic acid, siderophores). The diversity of macroinvertebrates associated to FWI was also assessed. Water analysis of the pond were conducted. Preliminary data shows that there is a high bacterial diversity associated to this system and the ability to produce plant growth promoting substances has been shown. The bacterial strains with outstanding growth promoting traits can be used in the future to support phytoremediation strategies or plant resilience to climate change abiotic stresses. Regarding the biodiversity of macroinvertebrates associated with FWI they were mainly from the order Odonata. The FWI attracted mainly individuals of the genus Coenagrion (represented more than 80% of the fauna). These systems had proven to be a hotspot of biodiversity supporting water management plans and landscape and aesthetics integration. This study gives new insights into broadening the FWI applications in freshwater or polluted water.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Macrofauna biodiversity assessment in a real scale constructed wetland for wastewater treatment

In rural and mountain areas there is a lack of adequate infrastructures to cope with sewage. Constructed wetlands (CW) may provide a supporting solution to this problem. CWs are biological treatment systems that mimic the phytoremediation processes found in natural wetlands, with an optimized configuration, for the improvement of water quality. They comprise substrate, selected vegetation and their associated fauna and microbial communities. The aim of the present study is to assess the long-term performance of a CW implemented in a tourism unit in a rural area. The gradient effect of the nutrient load along the CW is also being investigated. The biodiversity associated to the system is also being assessed, specifically the fauna linked to the CW substrate bed. The methodological approach has followed the periodical wastewater sampling at the CW inlet and outlet, and in selected sites along the bed, in order to understand the dynamics of the treatment system. Wastewater characterization comprise the analysis of nutrients, organic contents, pH, conductivity, as well as microbial parameters, namely total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. The fauna associated to the substrate has been analysed through the periodical setup pitfall traps and through the collection of core substrate along the CW bed. The results will allow us to infer about the long-term wastewater treatment efficiency of the system and to relate it to the diversity of associated fauna of the CW and the established ecosystem. Preliminary results indicate a robust ecosystem with several trophic levels and a high biodiversity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Long-term performance of a real scaleconstructed wetland for wastewater treatment

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Performance assessment of a real scale constructed wetland for wastewater treatment

Sustainable water management urges for the use and treatment of wastewater in an efficient way. Tourism units are often characterized by great variations in wastewater quantity and quality over the year. Constructed wetlands (CW) have been proposed as a nature-based solution to support the wastewater treatment from these units. In the present study, the potential wastewater treatment in a tourism unity through a real scale constructed wetland application is addressed. A CW was installed in a tourism unit in Ponte de Lima with a polyculture, delivering several ecosystem services. The aim of the study is to monitor the efficiency of the biological system, after long term operation, based on phytoremediation processes, to treat the wastewater from the tourism unit. Wastewater quality will be assessed through the analysis of physic-chemical and microbiological parameters towards its reuse for irrigation purposes. CW substrate will also be analysed concerning the enzymatic activity associated to the rhizosphere of selected plants. The work to be developed is of outmost importance since it has a real implication on the water management of a tourism unit.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Floating wetland islands to support biodiversity promotion in a freshwater pond

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phytotechnology implementation in marine and freshwater environments: case study of floating wetlands

Phytotechnologies are plant-based approaches that solve or complement the solution of environmental problems, by remediating soil, water, and air or restoring ecosystem services in managed landscapes. Floating treatment wetlands (FWIs) are examples of a phytotechnology, also named nature-based solution, that provides water treatment and management with low capital costs, high success rate, low maintenance requirement, and aesthetic nature when compared to conventional solutions. They also promote biodiversity and ecosystem establishment, enabling creation of habitat, nursery spot or as stepping stone. FWIs comprise a floating platform, colonized by selected plants and an anchoring system. The selection of the plant species is very important for the success of a full coverage system and also to assure a full development of a rooting system for phytoremediation purposes. In the present study 4 FWIs were implemented (with different floating materials: 2 of cork and 2 of hand-assembled recycled material), in order to compare the performance and their establishment in two environments: saline and freshwater. The saline environment was associated to a port marina and the freshwater environment to a pond. Selected plant species were considered for each environment. Monitoring of the system is being carried out along time concerning the associated biodiversity, plant establishment and floatability evaluation of the floating platforms. Based on the analysis of these results, this work hopes that these nature-based solutions can contribute to better water management, in order to involve the conservation and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phytotechnology implementation in marine and freshwater environments: case study of floating wetlands

Environmental biotechnology, such as bioremediation and phytoremediation, is a promising field that uses natural resources, including microorganisms and plants, to eliminate toxic organic contaminants from water, soils and air (Calheiros et al. 2020). This technology offers an attractive alternative to other conventional remediation processes due to its relatively low cost and environmentally friendly method. In this project, we used floating treatment wetland (FTW), an effective and sustainable technology for wastewater treatment. This method has been widely adopted for the treatment of various types of polluted waters, including agricultural runoff, stormwater, and industrial effluents. In FTWs, plants are vegetated on a floating mat while their roots are extended into contaminated water, acting as biological filters. Nutrients and potentially toxic metals/elements are absorbed from wastewater by plants through their roots, while organic matter is degraded by microorganisms forming biofilms on the roots and on the surface of the mat (Shahid et al. 2018). Thereby, in the present study it was implemented 4 FTW prototypes, of different materials and in different environments (marine and freshwater) to compare their efficiency and establishment on site.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio