Stimulation of optimized influent C:N ratios on nitrogen removal in surface flow constructed wetlands: Performance and microbial mechanisms

Abstract

Exploring optimal C:N ratio is necessary to ensure balanced microbial nitrification and denitrification in constructed wetlands (CWs), which has become an important management practice for more efficient nitrogen removal and sustainability of CWs. Surface flow constructed wetlands (SFCWs) vegetated with Myriophyllum aquaticum were designed to investigate the effects of five different influent C:N ratios (0:1, 2.5:1, 5:1, 10:1, and 15:1) on nitrogen removal performance and microbial communities over a 175-day experimental period. Compared to the influent C:N ratios of 0:1, higher NH4+-N, NO3−-N, and total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiencies and lower NO3−-N accumulation were observed at influent C:N ratios higher than 5:1. In addition, the highest TN removal efficiency (70.4%) and the lowest nitrous oxide emission flux (4.12 mg m−2 d−1) were obtained at the influent C:N ratio of 5:1. High-throughput sequencing revealed that influent C:N ratios altered the distribution and composition of microbial communities in the sediment, which resulted in a dynamic interplay between N-transforming functional microbes and NH4+-N and NO3−-N removal. In particular, the dominant denitrifiers, including Desulfovibrio, Zoogloea, and Dechloromonas, were more abundant in the sediment with an influent C:N ratio of 5:1, which contributed to the high N removal rate. These findings may be used to screen for an optimum influent C:N ratio to maintain the sustainability of SFCWs with higher N removal efficiency.