Enzyme and root activities in surface-flow constructed wetlands

Sixteen small-scale wetlands planted with four plant species were constructed for domestic wastewater purification. The objective of this study was to determine the correlations between contaminant removal and soil enzyme activity, root activity, and growth in the constructed wetlands. The results indicated that correlations between contaminant removal efficiency and enzyme activity varied depending on the contaminants. The removal efficiency of NH4+ was significantly correlated with both urease and protease activity in all wetlands, and the removal of total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus was significantly correlated with phosphatase activity in most wetlands, while the removal of total nitrogen, NO3- , and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was significantly correlated with enzyme activity only in a few instances. Correlations between soil enzyme activity and root activity varied among species. Activities of all enzymes were significantly correlated with root activity in Vetiveria zizanioides and Phragmites australis wetlands, but not in Hymenocallis littoralis wetlands. Significant correlations between enzyme activity and root biomass and between enzyme activity and root growth were found mainly in Cyperus flabelliformis   wetlands. Root activity was significantly correlated with removal efficiencies of all contaminants except NO3- and COD in V. zizanioides wetlands. Enzyme activities and root activity showed single-peak seasonal patterns. Activities of phosphatase, urease, and cellulase were significantly higher in the top layer of the substrate than in the deeper layers, and there were generally no significant differences between the deeper layers (deeper than 15 cm).