The intensified constructed wetlands are promising for treatment of ammonia stripped effluent: Nitrogen transformations and removal pathways

This study investigated the treatment performance and nitrogen removal mechanism of highly alkaline ammonia-stripped digestate effluent in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (CWs). A promising nitrogen removal performance (up to 91%) was observed in CWs coupled with intensified configurations, i.e., aeration and effluent recirculation. The results clearly supported that the higher aeration ratio and presence of effluent recirculation are important to improve the alkalinity and pollutant removal in CWs. The influent pH (>10) was significantly decreased to 8.2-8.8 under the volumetric hydraulic loading rates of 0.105 and 0.21 d^-1 in the CWs. Simultaneously, up to 91% of NH₄⁺-N removal was achieved under the operation of a higher aeration ratio and effluent recirculation. Biological nitrogen transformations accounted for 94% of the consumption of alkalinity in the CWs. The significant enrichment of δ¹⁵N-NH₄⁺ in the effluent (47-58‰) strongly supports the occurrence of microbial transformations for NH₄⁺-N removal. However, relatively lower enrichment factors of δ¹⁵N-NH₄⁺ (-1.8‰ to -11.6‰) compared to the values reported in previous studies reflected the inhibition effect of the high pH alkaline environment on nitrifiers in these CWs.