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Vertical flow constructed wetlands for the treatment of inorganic ...

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to improve denitrification in HF CWs. The authors fur<strong>the</strong>r recommended testing <strong>of</strong><br />

cheap alternative carbon sources in <strong>wetlands</strong>.<br />

2.4.2.3 Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND)<br />

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification can occur in a <strong>treatment</strong> system,<br />

(vessel, reactor or wetland) under identical operating conditions. SND reduces or<br />

eliminates <strong>the</strong> need <strong>for</strong> separate reactors required in conventional <strong>treatment</strong> plants<br />

and <strong>the</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e simplify <strong>the</strong> design <strong>of</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> systems resulting in savings in time and<br />

space (Keller et al., 1997; Third, 2003). Usually <strong>the</strong> key factor <strong>for</strong> achieving SND in<br />

<strong>treatment</strong> plants is <strong>the</strong> tight control <strong>of</strong> dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (or redox<br />

potential) which have to be maintained at a level to allow aerobic oxidation <strong>of</strong> organic<br />

matter by heterotrophs, nitrification by AOB and NOB and concurrent denitrification by<br />

heterotrophs. SND has been extensively studied in sequencing batch reactors (SBR),<br />

because SBRs consist <strong>of</strong> one single vessel that undergoes time-separated aerobic and<br />

anoxic phases <strong>the</strong>y more easily allow DO control in <strong>the</strong> aeration phase as to permit part<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> organic carbon to be consumed by denitrifying organisms during <strong>the</strong> aeration<br />

phase but also to permit organic carbon passing through to <strong>the</strong> anoxic phase, more<br />

favourable <strong>for</strong> denitrification. The opposing DO requirements <strong>of</strong> nitrification and<br />

denitrification mean that by lowering DO concentration to improve denitrification,<br />

nitrification rates are reduced. A DO concentration <strong>of</strong> 0.5mg/L in <strong>the</strong> aeration phase <strong>of</strong><br />

a SBR has been shown to result in nitrogen removal via SND at a moderate rate<br />

(Pochana and Keller, 1999). O<strong>the</strong>r factors affecting SND in SBRs are <strong>the</strong> organic carbon<br />

source and <strong>the</strong> sludge floc size (Third, 2003).<br />

Wetland environments are more complex than those in biological nutrient<br />

removal systems in conventional wastewater <strong>treatment</strong> plants (WWTPs). Research on<br />

<strong>treatment</strong> <strong>wetlands</strong> over <strong>the</strong> last two decades has demonstrated that <strong>the</strong>se systems<br />

differ and that WWTP results may not apply to <strong>wetlands</strong> (Kadlec and Wallace, 2009).<br />

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in <strong>constructed</strong> <strong>wetlands</strong> occur as <strong>the</strong>re is<br />

a complicated spatial zonation within <strong>the</strong>se systems, with oxygen gradients occurring in<br />

close proximity between surface waters and bottom sediments (Kadlec and Wallace<br />

22

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