Letting nature do the work: A self-sustaining wetland for rural sewage treatment
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Peer-Reviewed Publication
This study proposes an innovative constructed wetland (CW) system that integrates native plants (Aster subulatus and Pterodactylus sp.) with a functional plant (Arundo donax) to create a self-sustaining, low-maintenance solution for rural sewage treatment. Over 365 days of operation without human intervention, the system achieved stable pollutant removal, with average efficiencies of 35.05% for CODCr, 48.92% for NH₄⁺-N, 40.57% for TN, and 27.61% for TP, meeting stringent discharge standards. Microbial analysis revealed that plant diversity enhanced microbial community stability and fostered adaptable metabolic pathways for nitrogen and phosphorus cycling across seasons. The findings demonstrate that such a ecologically synergistic CW can provide a sustainable, cost-effective treatment option for decentralized rural areas with minimal human intervention.
- Journal
- Water & Ecology
- Funder
- Jing-Jin-Ji Regional Integrated Environmental Improvement-National Science and Technology Major Project, Central Guidance Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project, Key R&D Program of Zhunger Banner, National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key R&D Program of China, Project of Inner Mongolia “Prairie Talents”Engineering Innovation Entrepreneurship Talent Team, and the Innovation Team of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Science and Technology