Wastewater-fertigated short-rotation coppice, a combined scheme of wastewater treatment and biomass production : a state-of-the-art review

Hänel, Mirko (author), Istenič, Darja (author), Brix, Hans (author), Arias, Carlos A. (author)

Vegetated filters based on short-rotation coppice (SRC) can be used to treat various industrial and municipal wastewater while producing valuable biomass in an economical and sustainable way, showing potential in the field of pollution control and bio-based circular economy. This study provides an overview of the state of the art in wastewater-fertigated SRC systems (wfSRCs) worldwide. Different designs, wastewater sources, tree species and varieties, planting schemes, geographic locations, and climates for wfSRC implementation were identified after conducting a literature review. The performance review includes standard water quality parameters as well as the extent of pathogen and emergent contaminant removal and biomass production rates. Identified knowledge gaps and important factors to support the practical implementation of wfSRCs are highlighted. Europe leads the research of wfSRC, followed by North America and Australia. The available publications are mainly from developed countries (73%). The most applied and studied tree species in wfSRC systems are willows (32%), followed by eucalyptus (21%) and poplars (18%). Most of the reviewed studies used domestic wastewater (85%), followed by industrial wastewater (8%) and landfill leachate (7%). Most data show high BOD5 and COD removal efficiencies (80%). There are large differences in the documented total nitrogen and total phosphorus removal efficiencies (12%–99% and 40%–80%, respectively). Enhanced biomass growth in wfSRC systems due to wastewater fertigation was reported in all reviewed studies, and biomass production varied from 3.7 to 40 t DM/ha/yr. WfSRCs seem to have high potential as viable and cost-effective wastewater treatment alternatives to conventional treatment technologies.

• Language: English
• Keywords: wetland treatment, nature-based wastewater treatment systems, biomass production systems, vegetated filters
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences; FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 5, art. 810
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-136940
• UDC: 628.35:502.131.1
• ISSN on article: 1999-4907
• DOI: 10.3390/f13050810
• COBISS.SI-ID: 109083139
• Publication date in RUL: 25.05.2022

HÄNEL, Mirko, ISTENIČ, Darja, BRIX, Hans and ARIAS, Carlos A., 2022, Wastewater-fertigated short-rotation coppice, a combined scheme of wastewater treatment and biomass production : a state-of-the-art review. Forests [online]. 2022. Vol. 13, no. 5,  810. [Accessed 2 April 2025]. DOI 10.3390/f13050810. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=136940

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Forests
• Shortened title: Forests
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1999-4907
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3872166

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 22.05.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: čiščenje mokrišč, naravni sistemi za čiščenje odpadne vode, sistemi za proizvodnjo biomase, rastlinski filtri

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Funding programme: H2020
• Project number: 821410
• Name: Potential and Validation of Sustainable Natural & Advance Technologies for Water & Wastewater Treatment, Monitoring and Safe Water Reuse in India
• Acronym: PAVITR