Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141818
Title (Primary) A curve-shift technique for the use of non-conservative organic tracers in constructed wetlands
Author Stephenson, R.; Sheridan, C.; Kappelmeyer, U. ORCID logo
Source Titel Science of the Total Environment
Year 2021
Department UBT
Volume 752
Page From art. 141818
Language englisch
Topic T7 Bioeconomy
Keywords Constructed wetlands; Hydraulics; Non-conservative tracer; Curve-shift technique
Abstract Understanding the flow behaviour and accounting for time in constructed wetlands is necessary for the modelling and design of these systems. The addition of a tracer into the feed of a horizontal subsurface flow wetland allows the researcher to understand the flow of the fluid through the system, especially if the mass of the tracer is conserved (i.e. the mass of tracer injected is equal to the mass of tracer leaving the system). Conservative tracers, however, may pose a problem when it comes to the disposal of the effluent of the system if they are hazardous to the environment. In this study, the use of benzoate as a non-conservative degradable hydraulic tracer was investigated. The response curve of such a tracer is distorted due to its degradation within the wetland and hence the mass leaving the system is not equal to the mass injected. As a result, the typical hydraulic performance parameters obtained from tracer-response curves cannot be accurately calculated. In this paper, a curve-shift technique was developed by using a benzoate step-change curve as an input and using mathematical techniques to transform it into a conservative tracer-response curve. This was done through establishing a mathematical relationship between the retardation and hydrodynamic dispersion of benzoate and a known conservative tracer, uranine. This methodology was tested by conducting a dual tracer study using both benzoate and uranine and comparing the shifted benzoate response curve with the uranine response curve. Hydraulic parameters including mean residence time, effective volume ratio and hydraulic efficiency for each of these tracers were also compared.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=23747
Stephenson, R., Sheridan, C., Kappelmeyer, U. (2021):
A curve-shift technique for the use of non-conservative organic tracers in constructed wetlands
Sci. Total Environ. 752 , art. 141818 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141818