The Role of Macrophytes in Constructed Surface-flow Wetlands for Mine Water Treatment: A Review

Joscha Opitz; Matthias Alte; Martin Bauer; Stefan Peiffer

doi:10.1007/s10230-021-00779-x

journal article Open Access Apr 20, 2021

The Role of Macrophytes in Constructed Surface-flow Wetlands for Mine Water Treatment: A Review

Joscha Opitz

Matthias Alte Martin Bauer

Stefan Peiffer

Mine Water and the Environment Vol. 40 No. 3 pp. 587-605 · Springer Science and Business Media LLC

View at Publisher Save 10.1007/s10230-021-00779-x

Abstract

AbstractConstructed wetlands are a standard sustainable technology in waste and mine water treatment. Whereas macrophytes actively contribute to decomposition and/or removal of wastewater’s organic pollutants, removal of hydrolysable metals from mine water is not attributable to direct metabolic, but rather various indirect macrophyte-related mechanisms. These mechanisms result in higher treatment efficiency of (vegetated) wetlands relative to (unvegetated) settling ponds. Contribution of macrophytes to treatment predominantly includes: enhanced biogeochemical oxidation and precipitation of hydrolysable metals due to catalytic reactions and bacterial activity, particularly on immersed macrophyte surfaces; physical filtration of suspended hydrous ferric oxides by dense wetland vegetation down to colloids that are unlikely to gravitationally settle efficiently; scavenging and heteroaggregation of dissolved and colloidal iron, respectively, by plant-derived natural organic matter; and improved hydrodynamics and hydraulic efficiency, considerably augmenting retention and exposure time. The review shows that constructed surface-flow wetlands have considerable advantages that are often underestimated. In addition to treatment enhancement, there are socio-environmental benefits such as aesthetic appearance, biotope/habitat value, and landscape diversity that need to be considered. However, there is currently no quantitative, transferrable approach to adequately describe the effect and magnitude of macrophyte-related benefits on mine water amelioration, let alone clearly assign optimal operational deployment of either settling ponds or wetlands. A better (quantitative) understanding of underlying processes and kinetics is needed to optimise assembly and sizing of settling ponds and wetlands in composite passive mine water treatment systems.

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Details

Published: Apr 20, 2021
Vol/Issue: 40(3)
Pages: 587-605
License: View

Authors

Funding

Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt Award: 33012/01-23

Universität Bayreuth

Cite This Article

Joscha Opitz, Matthias Alte, Martin Bauer, et al. (2021). The Role of Macrophytes in Constructed Surface-flow Wetlands for Mine Water Treatment: A Review. Mine Water and the Environment, 40(3), 587-605. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-021-00779-x

The Role of Macrophytes in Constructed Surface-flow Wetlands for Mine Water Treatment: A Review

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