Four stage hybrid constructed wetlands treating low-strength aquaculture wastewater with and without artificial aeration

Driven by the booming demands for healthy food, aquaculture industry has to deal with the problem of water pollution appropriately so as to achieve sustainable development. In this study, a combination of four stage CWs (three horizontal subsurface flows followed by one free water surface flow) was configured to treat low-strength aquaculture wastewater. For performance assessment, the wetlands were monitored over three years, during which artificial aeration was added to them. By the results, the organic matters and nutrients were mainly sequestered in the anterior subsurface flows, while the surface flow mainly contributed to DO improvement. These results probably implied no necessity of excessive subsurface flows connected in a staged manner. In addition, the artificial aeration improved the treatment performance on ammonium-N, TN and TP in the first-stage CW.