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Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff
Published on: May 15, 2017
Survey of Phthalate Mitigation and Distribution in Water, Sediment, and Typha in a Fully Operational Constructed
Geneva Diepenheim1, Stephen C Gift1, Christopher Harb1
1Department of Chemistry, Pacific University, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, Oregon, 97116, USA.
Abstract:
Wastewater treatment plants (WTTPs) contribute to anthropogenic chemical contamination through the release of treated effluent. A constructed wetland (CW) interfaced with a WTTP could potentially purify and naturalize effluent water. This pilot study aimed to acquire baseline chemical data on the fate and distribution of phthalates in the water, sediment, and vegetation (Typha spp.) of a fully operational horizontal subsurface flow CW adjoined to a WWTP in Oregon, USA. Sample collection followed the flow of water from entrance to exit of the CW. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the most abundant analogs in all matrices. Results indicate reduction of phthalates in water exiting the CW. Significant concentrations of DBP, DEHP, and other water-soluble phthalates were found in the shoots of Typha, indicating plant uptake as a potentially important removal mechanism.
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