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Denitrification in Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment and Created Riverine Wetlands

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The Wetland Book

Abstract

Human activities have altered the nitrogen (N) cycle substantially at both local, regional and global levels. As a result, the availability of reactive N in the environment has greatly increased, causing the leaching of nitrogen surface waters, groundwater and oceans and creating eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems, hypoxia in coastal waters and pollution of groundwater. Constructed wetlands (CW) can be used to remove the excess reactive N from water environment, whereas nitrate, the most common component of nitrogen in the aquatic environment, is normally removed during the denitrification. Opportunities for this approach are presented, offering examples from various parts of the world. The problems of controlling emission of nitrous oxide, which is a byproduct of denitrification and being a dangerous greenhouse gas and destroyer of ozone layer, are also discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Ülikooli 18, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

    Ülo Mander

  2. IRSTEA, France

    Julien Tournebize

  3. Gulf Coast University, Florida, USA

    William J. Mitsch

Authors
  1. Ülo Mander
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  2. Julien Tournebize
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  3. William J. Mitsch
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ülo Mander .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia

    C. Max Finlayson

  2. International Water Security Network, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

    Mark Everard

  3. UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands

    Kenneth Irvine

  4. RM Wetlands and Environment Ltd., Littleworth, Oxfordshire, UK

    Robert J. McInnes

  5. U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA

    Beth A. Middleton

  6. Aquatic Ecosystems Group, Department of Water Science and Engineering, UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands

    Anne A. van Dam

  7. Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia

    Nick C. Davidson

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Mander, Ü., Tournebize, J., Mitsch, W.J. (2018). Denitrification in Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment and Created Riverine Wetlands. In: Finlayson, C.M., et al. The Wetland Book. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9659-3_324

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