Abstract
In this study, the performance of the horizontal sub-surface flow filter (HSSFF) and constructed wetland (HSSFCW) experimental units enhanced with earthworms was investigated for the treatment of construction camp sewage wastewater. All the experimental units (filter and constructed wetland) were filled with the same filler except Eisenia foetida earthworms and Lolium perenne Linn plants. The performance of the earthworm-enhanced filter (EEF) and the earthworm-enhanced constructed wetland (EECW) was compared to that of the blank filter (BF) units. The results revealed that the removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+-N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in EEF were higher than the BF unit. In order to optimize the operating conditions, the experiments were conducted in three different water levels. The results revealed that the removal efficiencies of EEF for these pollutants are the highest in experimental conditions no. 2 (water level ~30 cm; HRT ~3 days; hydraulic load ~4.05 cm/day; and Inflow discharge ~0.27 L/h). Compared to the EEF and BF units, the EECW has higher removal efficiency for COD and TN and has more stable performance than the filters. This work will aid the design and improvement of filters and CWs for treatment of effluent wastewater from construction camps. The selection of appropriate hydraulic parameters and experimental conditions could be very beneficial in achieving the goal of implantation of low impact development (LID).
Highlights
With the increase in the investment and scale of China’s construction industry, the environmental impact, especially the impact of sewage discharged from construction camps, is attracting more and more attention
The objectives of the current study were to investigate the growth of earthworms in horizontal sub-surface flow filter (HSSFF) and the performance of earthworm-enhanced filter (EEF) for treating the wastewater released from construction camp under local conditions
Experimental constructed wetlands (CWs) and filter units, which are referred as HSSFCW and HSSFF, were constructed in our Laboratory at “Southeast University-Monash University Joint Research Centre for Water Sensitive
Summary
With the increase in the investment and scale of China’s construction industry, the environmental impact, especially the impact of sewage discharged from construction camps, is attracting more and more attention. Since many construction camps are very far away from the municipal pipe network, it is very expensive to discharge sewage from construction camps into the municipal pipe network. Most of the sewage is discharged on the spot after simple treatment, which causes serious pollution to the surrounding water bodies. A filter is a biological treatment structure, which can be employed to remove pollutants from air and water [1]. It consists of a filler and biofilm on the surface of the filler, which integrates solid–liquid separation technology and biological treatment technology
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