Abstract

A laboratory-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland system was used to quantify the arsenic removal capacity in the treatment of highly acidic, arsenic and metal-rich water: pH approximate to 2, Fe approximate to 57 mg/L, Pb approximate to 0.9 mg/L, Zn approximate to 12 mg/L. The system was operated in two stages, being As approximate to 2.1 mg/L in stage one, and approximate to 3.7 mg/L in stage 2. Limestone and zeolite were employed as main supporting media to build non-vegetated and vegetated cells with Phragmites australis. The system was very effective in the removal of arsenic and iron (> 96%), and lead (> 94%) throughout the whole experimental period, having the four treatment types a similar performance. The main effect of the media type was on the pH adjustment capacity: limestone cells were able to raise the pH to approximate to 7.1, whereas zeolite cells raised it to approximate to 3.8. The contribution of plant uptake to the overall removal of As, Fe and Zn was minor; accounting for less than 0.02%, 0.07% and 0.7% respectively. As such, pollutants were mainly retained in the wetland beds. Our results suggest that limestone is recommended over zeolite as wetland medium due to its neutralization