Constructed wetlands can provide an effective and economical solution to landfill leachate treatment. In this chapter, performance of two constructed wetlands (CWs) for municipal leachate treatment, in Gdansk-Szadolki and in Gatka near Miastko (northern Poland) is discussed. The plant in Gdansk-Szadolki, consisting of two horizontal flow (HF) beds, has been in operation since 2001. The performance of the plant in the period 2004–2005 is discussed. Clogging problems and surface flow occurred in the system because of too-low hydraulic conductivity of the filter beds material. Neither the treatment effectiveness nor effluent pollutant concentrations meet the design criteria, though quite high efficiencies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) (over 70% at both beds), total nitrogen (Ntot) and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH4) (61.7% for the bed I and 51.6% for the bed II) removal are obtained. The willow plantation in Gatka has been in operation since 1996. The leachate was transpirated to the atmosphere and there was no outflow from the plant. Prior to the investigations of the plant performance (in the period December 2005–November 2006), the polyethylene wells were installed in order to collect pore water samples. Good removal efficiency of Ntot and N-NH4 (70–78% and 78–88%, respectively) was observed.
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Wojciechowska, E., Obarska-Pempkowiak, H. (2008). Performance of Reed Beds Supplied with Municipal Landfill Leachate. In: Vymazal, J. (eds) Wastewater Treatment, Plant Dynamics and Management in Constructed and Natural Wetlands. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8235-1_22
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