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Impact of flood damage on pollutant removal efficiencies of a subtropical urban constructed wetland
- Source :
- The Science of the total environment. 408(20)
- Publication Year :
- 2010
-
Abstract
- Typhoons and hurricanes in subtropical/tropical regions can induce significant environmental changes (e.g., mass flooding and inundations). However, the damage to the pollutant removal efficiencies of constructed wetlands brought about by these natural disturbances has been neglected in major studies conducted in temperate climates. Therefore, this study compares the pollutant removal performance of a constructed wetland in the Danshui River Basin, before and after the system was inundated with flooding from Typhoon Krosa in 2007. The pollutant removal performance of the free water surface (FWS) constructed wetland was investigated monthly from September 2006 to April 2008. Results of the study demonstrated that this FWS wetland effectively removed 64.3% BOD, 98.9% NH(4)-N, and 39.5% Total-P before Typhoon Krosa. However, the extensive flooding caused by Typhoon Krosa swept over most of the aboveground plant community and deposited the sediment onto the bottom of each compartment. Subsequently, reduced pollutant removal efficiencies were observed. Only 37.7% BOD, 35.1% NH(4)-N, and 31.8% Total-P were removed after this event, although the flow regime was immediately restored. Comparing the water quality data for the FWS wetland before and after Typhoon Krosa revealed the immediate, quantitative damage to the pollutant removal performance caused by the typhoon's inundation. Consequently, a high-flow bypass and additional preventive measures would protect any constructed wetland in areas subject to typhoons.
- Subjects :
- Environmental Engineering
Nitrogen
Drainage basin
Wetland
Efficiency
Disasters
Ammonia
Environmental Chemistry
Water Pollutants
Cities
Waste Management and Disposal
Environmental Restoration and Remediation
Pollutant
Hydrology
geography
Tropical Climate
geography.geographical_feature_category
Cyclonic Storms
Flooding (psychology)
Environmental engineering
Sediment
Phosphorus
Pollution
Floods
Oxygen
Typhoon
Wetlands
Constructed wetland
Environmental science
Water quality
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 18791026
- Volume :
- 408
- Issue :
- 20
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Science of the total environment
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....376c21594f522dd1da6e24a160173754