Comparison of Filter Media, Plant Communities and Microbiology within Constructed Wetlands Treating Wastewater Containing Heavy Metals

The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment efficiency of passive vertical-flow wetland filters containing Phragmites australis and/or Typha latifolia and granular media of different adsorption capacities. A cost–benefit analysis was performed on the characteristics of constructed wetlands. Cheap gravel and sand as well as expensive granular activated carbon, charcoal and Filtralite (light expanded clay) were used as filter media. Different concentrations of lead and copper sulfate were added to polluted urban beck inflow water in order to simulate pre-treated mine wastewater, landfill leachate or highway runoff. The relationships between growth media, microbial and plant communities as well as the reduction of lead, copper, five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in particular, and potentially pathogenic bacteria were investigated. A breakthrough of copper within the first 9 weeks was only recorded for filters containing media with limited adsorption capacities. The breakthrough was independent of the presence of plants. However, after maturation of the biomass, which dominated the schmutzdecke and litter zone, lead and copper concentrations were reduced by 97–99% and BOD by 41–60% in all wetlands. There appears to be no additional benefit in using macrophytes and expensive adsorption media in constructed wetlands to enhance metal reduction during the set-up period of 5 months.