ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Study of the Long-term Treatment Effect
of Constructed Wetlands for Acid Mine Drainage
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1
School of Geography and Resources, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018, China
2
Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Geographic State Monitoring of Watershed,
Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018, China
3
College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
4
Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Chongqing 401120, China
Submission date: 2025-02-08
Final revision date: 2025-04-23
Acceptance date: 2025-05-24
Online publication date: 2025-07-21
Corresponding author
Jun Ren
School of Geography and Resources, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018, China
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ABSTRACT
Acid mine drainage (AMD) threatens water resources. Research on the treatment effect of
heavy metals in AMD using constructed wetlands has been conducted, most often indoors and in
short cycles. This study considered an AMD-constructed wetland that had operated for 12 years
as the research subject. Water, sediments, and wetland plant samples were analyzed from different
sampling points in the wetland to study the treatment effect of constructed wetlands on AMD and to
explore the distribution characteristics of heavy metals in constructed wetlands. The results indicated
that the constructed wetlands achieved removal rates of 97.59% for Fe and 83.05% for Mn in AMD.
At the outlet of the wetlands, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn all met the Class III standard of “surface water
environmental quality standards” (GB3838-2002). The content of heavy metals in the sediments was
as follows: Fe>Mn>Zn>Pb>Cu>Cd. The contents of heavy metals in the rhizosphere sediments were
higher than those in the non-rhizosphere sediments. The maximum concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn,
Pb, and Cd were 3.44, 10.67, 3.91, 3.50, 2.52, and 12.22 times that of the control group, respectively.
Plants have a strong ability to accumulate heavy metals. Except for Mn, various elements were enriched
in the surface areas of plant roots. The enrichment effect of rhizosphere sediments and plant surfaces
is important in removing heavy metals from AMD.