FULL-SCALE TREATMENT WETLANDS FOR METAL REMOVAL FROM INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER
The A-01 NPDES outfall at the Savannah River Site receives process wastewater discharges and stormwater runoff from the Savannah River National Laboratory. Routine monitoring indicated that copper concentrations were regularly higher than discharge permit limit, and water routinely failed toxicity tests. These conditions necessitated treatment of nearly one million gallons of water per day plus storm runoff. Washington Savannah River Company personnel explored options to bring process and runoff waters into compliance with the permit conditions, including source reduction, engineering solutions, and biological solutions. A conceptual design for a constructed wetland treatment system (WTS) was developed and the full-scale system was constructed and began operation in 2000. The overall objective of our research is to better understand the mechanisms of operation of the A-01 WTS in order to provide better input to design of future systems. The system is a vegetated surface flow wetland with a hydraulic retention time of approximately 48 hours. Copper, mercury, and lead removal efficiencies are very high, all in excess of 80% removal from water passing through the wetland system. Zinc removal is 60%, and nickel is generally unaffected. Dissolved organic carbon in the water column is increased by the system and reduces toxicity of the effluent. Concentrations of metals in the A-01 WTS sediments generally decrease with depth and along the flow path through the wetland. Sequential extraction results indicate that most metals are tightly bound to wetland sediments.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC09-96SR18500
- OSTI ID:
- 901452
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-2007-00058; TRN: US0702582
- Journal Information:
- ENVIRONMENTAL GEOSCIENCES, Journal Name: ENVIRONMENTAL GEOSCIENCES
- Publisher:
- pubinfo
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Constructed Wetlands for Removal of Heavy Metals from NPDES Outfall Effluent
METAL REMOVAL FROM PROCESS AND STORMWATER DISCHARGES BY CONSTRUCTED TREATMENT WETLANDS
Related Subjects
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
WETLANDS
DESIGN
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
WASTE WATER
WATER TREATMENT
REMOVAL
DEMETALLIZATION
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
COPPER
RUNOFF
MERCURY
LEAD
ZINC
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT