Evaluation and applicability of water quality and nutrients removal by coastal wetlands receiving treated municipal wastewater and its application

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the water quality of the wetland that received treated municipal wastewater for 40 years and its application for nutrients removal and wetland restoration.

Design/methodology/approach

To assess the water quality impact of the study, wetland sampling sites were selected to represent the receiving wetland, wetland background, effluent discharge point, and the adjacent canals. Water samples were taken in different seasons of the year and analyzed for water quality parameters including pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, chloride, total organic carbon, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, TKN and phosphorus. USEPA‐approved standard methods were followed and Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures were compiled. Analysis of variance and Student Newman‐Keuls Post‐Hoc analysis were performed on the sampling results to evaluate the water quality differences among the sampling sites.

Findings

No water quality degradation was detected in the wetland study after receiving treated municipal wastewater for 40 years. Dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature were not different from the background level. Total organic carbon and nutrients levels reduced significantly in the receiving wetland, indicating effective waste assimilation. Salinity in the immediate receiving area was reduced substantially, which offers potential application to buffer saltwater intrusion and wetland restoration.

Practical implications

The practice in this study offers potential implications in wastewater nutrients removal, wetland restoration, minimizing saltwater intrusion in coastal wetland.

Originality/value

This study investigated the water quality impact in wetland after receiving municipal effluent for 40 years. Results provide evidence of effective assimilation in wetlands and offer potential applications in coastal wetland restoration.

Citation

Hu, C., Jin, G. and Englande, A.J. (2011), "Evaluation and applicability of water quality and nutrients removal by coastal wetlands receiving treated municipal wastewater and its application", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 522-531. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777831111136108