Distribution and removal of microplastics in a horizontal sub-surface flow laboratory constructed wetland and their effects on the treatment efficiency

Putar, Ula (author), Klun, Barbara (author), Kalčíková, Gabriela (author)

Constructed wetlands are commonly used to treat domestic wastewater, but the extent to which microplastics are retained in constructed wetlands and the impact this has on their efficiency are not known. In this context, we investigated retention of microplastics (microbeads and fibres) and their effects on the removal of carbonaceous (expressed as chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD$_5$), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)), nitrogenous (N-NH$_4^+$, N-NO$_3^-$, and N-NO$_2^-$), and phosphorous (P-PO$_4^{3-}$) matters in a horizontal sub-surface flow laboratory constructed wetland (LCW) under continuous flow. The LCW was in operation for 257 days, with the first 78 days without microplastics and microplastics added weekly during the next 179 days. The presence of microplastics had no significant effect on COD, BOD$_5$, DOC, N-NH$_4^+$, and N-NO$_3^-$ removal, while a statistically significant decrease in N-NO$_2^-$ and an increase in P-PO$_4^{3-}$ concentrations in the effluent were observed after the addition of microplastics. Microplastics were efficiently retained in the LCW, and only 0.296% and 0.003% of the total microbeads and fibres, respectively, were detected in the effluent. Thus, it is evident that constructed wetlands are an effective barrier to the release of microplastics into the aquatic environment, but the high retention and thus continuous accumulation of microplastics may alter the nutrient cycling in constructed wetlands.

• Language: English
• Keywords: microplastics, constructed wetland, wastewaters, bioremediation, lagoons, macrophytes, microbeads, wastewater treatment, fibres
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 461, art. 142076
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-144853
• UDC: 628.32
• ISSN on article: 1385-8947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2023.142076
• COBISS.SI-ID: 143710979
• Publication date in RUL: 17.03.2023

PUTAR, Ula, KLUN, Barbara and KALČÍKOVÁ, Gabriela, 2023, Distribution and removal of microplastics in a horizontal sub-surface flow laboratory constructed wetland and their effects on the treatment efficiency. Chemical engineering journal [online]. 2023. Vol. 461, no. 142076. [Accessed 30 April 2025]. DOI 10.1016/j.cej.2023.142076. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=144853

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Chemical engineering journal
• Shortened title: Chem. eng. j.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1385-8947
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2110998

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mikroplastika, rastlinska čistilna naprava, odpadne vode, bioremediacija