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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

13:48
Design and Construction of an Urban Runoff Research Facility
Published on: August 8, 2014
[Study on running characteristics of aerating subsurface flow wetlands]
Lu Yan1, Shi-He Wang, Qiu-Shuang Zhong
1Department of Municipal Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China. wrongsky1982@163.com
Huan Jing Ke Xue= Huanjing Kexue
|July 21, 2007
Summary
Aeration in constructed wetlands significantly boosts dissolved oxygen and enhances the removal of organic matter by 10% and total nitrogen by over 60%. Continuous aeration in the forepart of the wetland is recommended for optimal performance.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Microbiology
- Wetland Science
Context:
- Constructed wetlands often suffer from low dissolved oxygen and inefficient nitrogen removal.
- Optimizing aeration is crucial for improving the ecological functions of constructed wetlands.
Purpose:
- To investigate the impact of aeration on dissolved oxygen levels, microbial communities, and pollutant removal efficiency in constructed wetlands.
- To determine optimal aeration parameters, including timing and gas-flow ratio, for constructed wetlands.
Summary:
- Aeration, particularly continuous aeration in the forepart of the wetland with a gas-flow ratio of 6, significantly increases dissolved oxygen from below 0.6 mg/L to over 1 mg/L.
- The study found minimal negative impact of aeration on wetland plants, while observing an increase in both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria populations.
- Aeration enhanced the removal efficiency of organic matter by 10% and total nitrogen by over 60%.
Impact:
- Aeration presents a viable strategy to improve the purification efficiency of constructed wetlands for organic matter and nitrogen removal.
- The findings support the research and application of aeration techniques to enhance constructed wetland performance in wastewater treatment.
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