Phosphorus removal in emergent free surface wetlands

Constructed and natural wetlands are capable of absorbing new phosphorus loadings, and, in appropriate circumstances, can provide a low-cost alternative to chemical and biological treatment. Phosphorus interacts strongly with wetland soils and biota, which provide both short-term and sustainable long-term storage of this nutrient. Soil sorption may provide initial removal, but this partly reversible storage eventually becomes saturated. Uptake by biota, including bacteria, algae, and duckweed, as well as macrophytes, forms an initial removal mechanism. Cycling through growth, death, and decomposition returns most of the biotic uptake, but an important residual contributes to long-term accretion in newly formed sediments and soils. Despite the apparent complexity of these several removal mechanisms, data analysis shows that relatively simple equations can describe the sustainable processes. Previous global first order removal rates characterize the sustainable removal, but do not incorporate any biotic features. This article reviews the relevant processes and summarizes quantitative data on wetland phosphorus removal.