TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of a diffused air aeration system for a constructed wetland receiving dairy wastewater
AU - MacPhee, Natalie B.
AU - Gordon, Robert
AU - Gagnon, Graham A.
AU - Stratton, Glenn W.
AU - Blanchard, John
AU - Wood, Jeffrey D.
PY - 2009/1
Y1 - 2009/1
N2 - Treatment systems that utilize natural processes, such as constructed wetlands, offer a sustainable and economical alternative to conventional wastewater treatment. Dairy farm wastewater was loaded into two similar (∼100 m 2 each) surface flow treatment wetlands in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Canada, at an average rate of 65 kg BOD 5 ha -1 d -1. A diffused air aeration system was installed in one of the wetlands based on a design oxygen requirement of 3.52 kg O 2 d -1. Wetland treatment performance was evaluated over 20 months (September 2002 to April 2004), during which time the aeration system operated for 13 months. The wetlands were monitored intensively for dissolved oxygen (DO), five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5), total suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia-nitrogen (NH 3-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 - -N), total phosphorus (TP), and Escherichia coli. Both the aerated and non-aerated wetlands provided effective year-round wastewater treatment. Artificial aeration significantly increased TKN and NH 3-N mass reductions (P < 0.001). Aeration did not significantly affect the removal of BOD 5, TSS, NO 3 --N, TP, and E. coli. The data suggest that the benefits of wetland aeration are not great enough to warrant its widespread adoption for small-scale agricultural systems.
AB - Treatment systems that utilize natural processes, such as constructed wetlands, offer a sustainable and economical alternative to conventional wastewater treatment. Dairy farm wastewater was loaded into two similar (∼100 m 2 each) surface flow treatment wetlands in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Canada, at an average rate of 65 kg BOD 5 ha -1 d -1. A diffused air aeration system was installed in one of the wetlands based on a design oxygen requirement of 3.52 kg O 2 d -1. Wetland treatment performance was evaluated over 20 months (September 2002 to April 2004), during which time the aeration system operated for 13 months. The wetlands were monitored intensively for dissolved oxygen (DO), five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5), total suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia-nitrogen (NH 3-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 - -N), total phosphorus (TP), and Escherichia coli. Both the aerated and non-aerated wetlands provided effective year-round wastewater treatment. Artificial aeration significantly increased TKN and NH 3-N mass reductions (P < 0.001). Aeration did not significantly affect the removal of BOD 5, TSS, NO 3 --N, TP, and E. coli. The data suggest that the benefits of wetland aeration are not great enough to warrant its widespread adoption for small-scale agricultural systems.
KW - Agricultural wastewater
KW - Artificial aeration
KW - Treatment wetlands
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M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:60749123071
SN - 2151-0032
VL - 52
SP - 111
EP - 119
JO - Transactions of the ASABE
JF - Transactions of the ASABE
IS - 1
ER -
