Abstract
Nitrate removal rate in three cattail wetland cells was investigated. They were a part of a pond-wetland system for stream water treatment demonstration. The system was composed of two ponds and six wetland cells. The acreage of each cell was approximately $150m^2$. The earth works for the system were finished from April 2000 to May 2000 and cattails were planted in the three cells in June 2000. Waters of Sinyang Stream flowing into Kohung Estuarine Lake were pumped into a primary pond, whose effluent was discharged into a secondary pond. The reservoir was formed by a tidal marsh reclamation project and located in southern coastal area of Korean Peninsula. Effluents from the secondary pond were funneled into the three cells. Volumes and water quality of inflow and outflow were analyzed from July 2000 through January 2001. Inflow and outflow averaged $20.2m^3/day$ and $19.8m^3/day$, respectively. Hydraulic retention time was about 1.6 days. Average influent and effluent nitrate concentration was $1.98mg/{\ell}$, $1.38mg/{\ell}$, respectively. Nitrate removal rate averaged $82.6mg\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$. Seasonal changes of nitrate retention rates were closely related to those of wetland cell temperatures. The average nitrate removal rate in the cells was a little lower, compared with that of $125.0mg\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ for the wetlands operating in North America. This could be attributed to the initial stage of the cells and inclusion of three cold months into the seven-month study period. Root rhizosphere in wetland soils and litter-soil layers on cell bottoms could not developed. Increase of standing density of cattails within a few years will establish both root zones suitable for the nitrification of ammonia to nitrates and substrates beneficial to the denitrification of nitrates into nitrogen gases, which may lead to increase of the nitrate retention rate.