Phthalate acid ester removal efficiency in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland

Phthalate acid esters (PAEs) are a group of synthetic organic compounds widely used and ubiquitously present in the environment as a class of environmental endocrine disruptors , phthalate acid esters pose a potential threat to human and environment health Constructed wetlands as wastewater treatment systems have been used to treat wastewater. However, very few studies have been conducted on removal of PAEs in constructed wetlands. In the present work, the removal of four common PAEs (dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) inhorizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland and their distribution in the wetland system were investigated. All PAE were detected in the water samples (influent, effluent of the wetland and the water from wetland chamber). The mean concentrations of PAE in the influent and effluent of the wetland were 2.53 and 0.98 μg·L-1 respectively. PAEs concentrations decreased along the flow in the wetland chamber. The concentration of dimethyl phthalate was always lower than other PAEs. The mean removal efficiencies of dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate were 31.1%, 41.1% and 37.6% respectively while removal of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was not achieved.