Construction waste as substrate in vertical subsuperficial constructed wetlands treating organic matter, ibuprofenhene, acetaminophen and ethinylestradiol from low-strength synthetic wastewater

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2020-08, Vol.728, p.138771-138771, Article 138771
• Main Authors: Marcelino, Gabriela Ribeiro, Carvalho, Karina Querne de, Lima, Mateus Xavier de, Passig, Fernando Hermes, Belini, Aldria Diana, Bernardelli, Jossy Karla Brasil, Nagalli, André
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biofilm assimilation; Clay bricks; Emerging pollutants; Light expanded clay aggregates; Phosphorus adsorption; Porcelain tiles
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138771

This study aimed to evaluate the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), total phosphorus (TP), ibuprofen, acetaminophen and ethinylestradiol of synthetic effluent simulating low-strength sewage by sequencing-batch mode constructed wetlands (CWs). To verify the feasibility of using a floating macrophyte in CWs and compare different substrates, three CWs containing light expanded clay aggregates (CWL), expanded clay with porcelain tiles (CWLP) and bricks (CWB) were planted with Pistia stratiotes. The results showed that CWB achieved the highest removals of TKN (78%), TAN (70%) and TP (46%), and CWLP achieved the highest COD removal (75%). LECA favored the removal of ibuprofen (92%, p  0.05). Ethinylestradiol was removed 76% in CWLP and 73% in CWB, both differing statistically from CWL (p