Constructed wetlands as an alternative for arsenic removal from reverse osmosis effluent

Abstract

In Argentina, drinking water for c.a. 10% of the population has arsenic (As) concentrations higher than those recommended by WHO (10 μg L−1). Reverse osmosis (RO) appears as an immediate and effective solution for As remediation. However, this process has a residual flow known as “rejection” or “concentrate” where dissolved species are more concentrated than in the feed flow. In this study, phytoremediation with subsurface horizontal-flow constructed wetlands (CW) was proposed to reduce As concentration in the RO residues. Experiments were carried out during 419 days at room temperature and using a continuous regime (flow of 36 L d−1, As concentration around 85 μg L−1) of RO rejection from a water treatment plant located in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. The study was performed using prototypes planted with Cyperus haspan (PA), Juncus effusus (PB) and a mix of inert gravel and laterite (substrate) that was used as a control (PC). Results showed that after a stabilization time, As removal (%) was between 30% and 80% in the CW planted with J. effusus and between 10 and 40% with C. haspan. As concentration along CW showed similarities between the prototypes PC and PA. The cumulative mass of As was 62%, 34% and 27% for PA, PB and PC, respectively. The contribution of C. haspan and J. effusus during the experimental time was between 12 and 67% and 22 to 87%, respectively. The bioaccumulation and translocation factors indicated that for J. effusus the accumulation is more important than the translocation process (1.6 and 0.2, respectively), while for C. haspan both factors were similar (1.1 and 1.0, respectively). Results suggested that this technology has the potential for an efficient and environmentally sustainable alternative to RO rejection treatment and disposal regarding As concentration.