Fate of Phosphorus in Secondarily Treated Wastewater Applied to a Freshwater Marsh

摘要

Marsh soils from 18 locations were gathered in the field and transported to the laboratory for experimentation with synthetic secondarily treated wastewater. Batch studies were performed to determine the phosphorus adsorption as a function of soil parameters such as ash, total phosphorus, iron, aluminum or their extractable counterparts. When predicting the removal of phosphorus from treated wastewater by adsorption on peat many factors must be taken into account, with the most important consideration the type of peat soil being used. From conclusions drawn in this study the best overall phosphorus removal from treated wastewater by a wetland system appears to occur as a result of treated wastewater contact with the vegetation and soil under moist but not flooded conditions.