Development of Pollutant Removal Model in the Artificial Wetland

인공습지의 수질개선 효과 분석모델 개발

The wetland is a biologically integrated system consisting of water, soil, bacteria, plants, and animals. The wetland helps sustain the ecosystem, control the micro-climate and flood, maintain the ground water level, and provide fishing grounds. From the environmental standpoint, the wetland plays a vital role in reducing water pollution by filtering out sand and other polluted matters, producing oxygen, absorbing chemicals and nutrients. For these reasons, interest in restoring the wetlands has been steadily increasing. Artificial wetland, which is also referred to as created wetland or constructed wetland, is an alternative to natural wetland. Like natural wetland, artificial wetland is environmentally friendly and can effectively lower pollutant levels. The Korea government is actively reviewing the construction of artificial wetlands in mining and water supply areas to decrease nonpoint pollutant sources. This paper attempts to develop a pollutant removal model for the water quality improvement function of artificial wetlands. Artificial wetland can improve the quality of the water; however, depending on the type of water inflow, vegetation and hydrology, its effect can be different.