M2 PM Non-Point Source Pollution and TMDLs
Monday, 14 November 2005: 1:50 PM - 5:30 PM in Ballroom 2

(WHI-1117-731502) Managing phosphorus in a built environment.

White, Sarah¹, Taylor, Milton¹, Polomski, Robert², Whitwell, Ted², Klaine, Stephen¹, ¹ Clemson Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Clemson University, Pendleton, SC, USA² Department of Horticulture, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA

ABSTRACT- Nutrient-rich runoff is commonly associated with hyper-eutrophication leading to ecosystem stress. Phytoremediation in a created wetland setting is an effective way to filter nutrients, especially nitrogen (N), from runoff water. Phosphorus (P), however, is not efficiently managed in a wetland setting by plants. Our goal is to optimize wetland design to maximize P attenuation. To accomplish this we have screened ornamental wetland plants for their ability to accumulate N and P and have characterized the ability of soil substrates for P adsorption. Two woody species (Cornus amomum and Itea virginica) and several herbaceous plant species (Canna 'Bengal Tiger' and 'King Humbert', Iris 'Full Eclipse', Typha minima, Pontaderia cordata, and Peltandra virginica) were able to absorb large quantities of N and P. Two media were found to efficiently sorb large quantities of P from aqueous environments. Compiling the results of these two studies, we have formulated a wetland design that maximizes removal of both N and P from nutrient rich run-off water.

Key words: nitrogen, wetland, sorption, phytoremediation