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Vertical Constructed Wetlands Integrated with Biochar: A Green Nature-Based Solution for Wastewater Treatment

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Abstract

Efficient wastewater treatment is crucial before its discharge into natural water bodies or reuse. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are an attracting sanitation technology for wastewater treatment, offering low external energy requirements, aesthetic value and ease of operation. Biochar, with its unique physicochemical properties, is a strong multifunctional medium in CWs having a good capacity to adsorb micropollutants with supporting plant growth, and to provide suitable environment for microbial communities. This study evaluates the removal efficiency of key parameters (COD, NH4+–N, NO2−–N, NO3–N) and certain pharmaceutical compounds (PhCs) and their transformation products (TPs) in a vertical-flow, planted with Phragmites Australis and containing biochar (CW-BC-P). The removal efficiency of this system was compared to that of an unplanted biochar-filled constructed wetland (CW-BC-U) and a planted constructed wetland containing gravel instead of biochar (CW-G-P). All CWs were experimented using urban wastewater. The main results show that vertical CWs play a significant role in the reduction of the concentrations of the studied PhCs for which obtained removal rates were between 50 and 100%, and also in the reduction of COD (RCOD were between 60 and 71%). CW-BC-P performed higher removal efficiency by comparing with CW-G-P system confirming that the integration of biochar into the CW plant enhances the performances of the wastewater treatment system.

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Acknowledgements

This work was carried out in the framework of the DEWESUSWAMA project (ERANETMED3-137) and was financed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia, to which we are very grateful. Our acknowledgments also go to Professor Massimo Del Bubba from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Florence in Italy, who welcomed Mariem Ayadi to his laboratory during her internship.

Funding

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia (ERANETMED3-137).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Materials, Treatment and Analysis (LMTA), National Institute of Research and Physical-Chemical Analysis (INRAP), Biotechpole Sidi-Thabet, 2020, Ariana, Tunisia

    Mariem Ayadi, Cheima Fersi, Borhane Mahjoub, Ilhem Ben Salah & Fathi Touati

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Tunis El Manar, El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    Mariem Ayadi

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  1. Mariem Ayadi
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Correspondence to Cheima Fersi.

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Ayadi, M., Fersi, C., Mahjoub, B. et al. Vertical Constructed Wetlands Integrated with Biochar: A Green Nature-Based Solution for Wastewater Treatment. Chemistry Africa 8, 607–618 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-024-01149-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-024-01149-0

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