The biomass and nutrient and heavy metal content of cattails and reeds in wastewater treatment wetlands for the production of construction material in Estonia

doi:10.1016/j.desal.2008.02.040

Desalination

Volume 246, Issues 1–3, 30 September 2009, Pages 120-128

Presented at Multi Functions of Wetland Systems, International Conference of Multiple Roles of Wetlands, June 26–29, 2007, Legnario (Padova) Italy

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2008.02.040 Get rights and content

Abstract

Cattails and reeds are the most common plants in constructed and semi-natural wetlands for wastewater treatment, and can play an important role in both nutrient and heavy metal retention. On the other hand, both plants are highly valued in ecologically oriented construction. The aim of this chapter is to measure common cattail (Typha latifolia) and reed (Phragmites australis) biomass production and the annual assimilation of nutrients (N, P) and heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb) in the phytomass of common cattail (T. latifolia) in two free-water surface flow constructed wetlands (FWSF CWs) and in one semi-natural treatment wetland in Estonia. The phytomass measurements were performed after the vegetation period in autumn and winter from 2002 to 2006. The average aboveground biomass of T. latifolia varied from 0.30 to 1.76 kg dry weight (DW) m⁻², and the corresponding values for P. australis were from 0.61 to 1.32 kgDWm⁻². Average N, P and heavy metal concentrations showed that the harvesting of aboveground biomass does not have much of an effect on the removal of heavy metals from wetlands.

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Citation Excerpt :
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The biomass and nutrient and heavy metal content of cattails and reeds in wastewater treatment wetlands for the production of construction material in Estonia

Abstract

Aquat. Bot.

Chemosphere

Cattail population in wastewater treatment wetlands in Estonia: Biomass production, retention of nutrients, and heavy metals in Phytomass

J. Environ. Sci. Health, Part A