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Scientific Article details

Title Constructed wetlands for the treatment of combined sewer overflow upstream of centralized wastewater treatment plants
ID_Doc 65128
Authors Masi, F; Sarti, C; Cincinelli, A; Bresciani, R; Martinuzzi, N; Bernasconi, M; Rizzo, A
Title Constructed wetlands for the treatment of combined sewer overflow upstream of centralized wastewater treatment plants
Year 2023
Published
DOI 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2023.107008
Abstract Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) constitute nowadays a major environmental concern, representing one of the main untreated sources of pollution for receiving water bodies. Additional, in recent years, the frequency and intensity of CSOs have increased due to the growing urbanisation and climate change. Although there is no single effective strategy, one of the most promising approaches for the control and treatment of CSOs can be found in nature-based solutions (NBS), such as constructed wetlands (CWs). Despite the demonstrated potential of CWs to treat CSOs, the only data reported in the literature refer to CSO-CW systems located along the sewerage network. This research represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first monitoring of a full-scale CSO-CW designed to treat the combined sewer overflow upstream of the WWTP located in Carimate, in the province of Como (Italy). The system is a multistage CW, composed by a 1st vertical subsurface flow (VF) stage (total area of 8500 m2) and a 2nd free water surface (FWS) stage (total area of 4500 m2). The observed removal rates during the 3 years monitoring campaign (mean values equal to 83.2%, 64.6%, 63.8% for COD, TP, and N-NH4+ respectively) confirmed the treatment efficiency of CW system for all the investigated parameters, consistent with literature data for CSO-CWs in line with the sewerage network, despite its large scale and different hydraulic character-istics. Furthermore, the system also provides additional ecosystem services such as flood mitigation (average CSO interception of 82%), enhancement of biodiversity and a low operational and maintenance cost.
Author Keywords Combined sewer overflow; Wastewater treatment plant; Nature-based solution; Constructed Wetland; Treatment Wetland; Ecosystem service
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:001012504500001
WoS Category Ecology; Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences
Research Area Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Engineering
PDF https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2023.107008
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