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Assessing the risks of utilizing tidal wetlands for wastewater management
Citation:
Shifflett, S. AND J. Schubauer-Berigan. Assessing the risks of utilizing tidal wetlands for wastewater management. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 236:269-279, (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.12.082
Impact/Purpose:
Coastal tidal wetlands are well recognized for the key ecosystem services they provide. Some communities are relying on coastal wetlands for the management of secondarily treated effluents using wetlands. Advocates have argued that wetlands can assimilate nitrogen from wastewater and enhance marsh accretion rates to mitigate the effects of sea level rise. In contrast, other research raises questions about the potential risks introduced by this practice. This review seeks to: (1) assess current research on plant productivity in fertilized coastal wetlands; (2) highlight the occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in municipal wastewater operations; and (3) identify knowledge gaps. This review demonstrates that there is more research needed to better understand the tradeoffs with this wastewater management practice.
Description:
Coastal tidal wetlands are well recognized for the key ecosystem services they provide such as flood protection, water quality improvement, and carbon sequestration. In the southeastern United States, some communities are relying on coastal wetlands for the management of secondarily treated effluents in forested and emergent wetlands. Advocates for this practice have argued that wetlands can assimilate nitrogen from wastewater, which can improve cypress-tupelo swamp productivity, and enhance marsh accretion rates to mitigate the effects of sea level rise. In contrast, evolving research on coastal wetlands and the environmental impacts of wastewater treatment pose new questions about the potential risks introduced by this practice. This review seeks to: (1) assess current research on plant productivity in fertilized coastal wetlands; (2) highlight the occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in municipal wastewater operations; and (3) identify knowledge gaps. Nutrient additions via wastewater augmented aboveground productivity, but decreased belowground productivity and root to shoot ratios. Removal efficiencies of some PPCPs by coastal wetlands have been substantial (75% - 99 %), but most remain unevaluated. Furthermore, their fate and effect on local ecosystem function and biogeochemical processes remain in question. This review demonstrates that there is more research needed at both local and watershed scales to evaluate how these risk factors impact ecosystem integrity and to better understand the tradeoffs with this wastewater management practice.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Assessing the risks of utilizing tidal wetlands for wastewater management
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