[Purification efficiency of several wetland macrophytes on COD and nitrogen removal from domestic sewage]

In order to investigate the role of wetland macrophytes in waster water purification and to select appropriate native filter plants in constructed wetland, three vertical-flow constructed wetlands were built with river sands as the substrates of Acorus gramineus, Juncus effusus and Iris japonica, and one without plant as the control. Investigation on the removal of COD and total nitrogen (TN) from domestic sewage showed that within lower concentrations of COD (<200 mg x L(-1)) and TN (<30 mg x L(-1)), more than 90% of COD and 80% of TN were removed from domestic sewage in all constructed wetlands. When the concentration of COD and TN increased, the purification efficiency of all constructed wetlands decreased to some extent. The constructed wetlands with macrophytes had a higher efficiency than control. Among the three constructed wetlands with macrophytes, the one with Acorus gramineus had an average purification efficiency of 80.46% for COD and 77.77% for TN, that with Juncus effusus was 75.53% for COD and 71.17% for TN, and the one with Iris japonica was 70.50% for COD and 66.38% for TN. The constructed wetland without vegetation had an average purification efficiency of 61.39% for COD and 55.81% for TN. Acorus gramineus was more capable of removing COD and TN than Juncus effusus and Iris japonica. Vegetation biomass was the main factor affecting the removal rate of COD and nitrogen, because it significantly correlated with the ability of absorbing organic substance and nitrogen, and with the nitrification and denitrification around roots.