!

~,, ' i ~¸ :5
ECOLOGICAL
ENGINEERING
ELSEVIER Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

Growth and trace metal absorption by Phragmites australis

in wetlands constructed for landfill leachate treatment
J o h n H . P e v e r l y a,*, J a n M . S u r f a c e b, T i a n g e n W a n g a
a Department of Soil, Crop and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, N Y 14853, USA
b U.S. Geological Survey, 903 Hanshaw Road, Ithaca, N Y 14850, USA

Abstract

Phragmites australis (common reed) grew well in the presence of high concentrations of
NH~--N (300 mg/1), BOD (300 mg/1), Fe (30 mg/1), Mn (1.5 mg/1) and K (500 mg/l).
Other metals were not particularly elevated with the pH of the landfill leachate being 7-7.2.
Reed standing crop continued to increase in the two years after leachate applications began,
ranging to about 1100, 100, and 1000 g / m 2 dry wt. for shoots, roots and rhizomes,
respectively. Nutrient elements like N, K, Ca, and Mg were absorbed to normally sufficient
levels, while tissue P was low at 0.04%. Metals were not translocated to and accumulated by
shoots or rhizomes, but exhibited elevated levels in roots. Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd were at
levels of 3700, 65, 45, 12 and 0.2 m g / k g respectively, but the roots acted as effective filters
for transport of metals to the shoots and rhizomes. Only P and Zn accumulation by plants
approached total amounts in leachate entering the constructed beds. SEM and X-ray
microanalysis showed Fe accumulation on root surfaces, with Fe and other metals at lower
concentrations inside the root tissue. The rhizosphere may provide a particularly effective,
locally oxidized environment for metal precipitation and adsorption outside the root.

Keywords: Iron; Lead; Copper; Root plaque; Evapotranspiration; X-ray; Phragmites aus-
tralis; Growth rate

1. Introduction

R o o t s o f e m e r g e n t w e t l a n d plants, like Phragmites australis, grow a n d f u n c t i o n

in an a n a e r o b i c e n v i r o n m e n t . A s a r e s u l t t h e s e tissues m u s t t o l e r a t e o r c o m p e n s a t e

° Paper presented at the IV International INTECOL Wetlands Conference, Columbus, Ohio, USA,
13-18 September, 1992.
* Corresponding author.

0925-8574/95//$09.50 © 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

SSDI 0925-8574(95)00018-6
22 J.H. Peverlyet aL / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

for low oxygen, elevated concentrations of iron and manganese, and sometimes
organic acids and other breakdown products of organic matter. Evidently, strate-
gies to maintain aerobic respiration in root tissue and prevent excessive root
absorption of iron, manganese and other metals have evolved in these plants.
The maintenance of oxygen at the root respiratory sites depends on develop-
ment of open lacunar space in the stems, roots, and rhizomes. This gaseous space
acts as an oxygen conduit from the photosynthetic shoot tissue to the subsurface
tissues, where aerobic processes maintain normal root absorptive functions for
nutrient uptake (Bedford et al., 1991).
It is also believed that an external aerobic microzone can be established around
parts of the growing roots (Armstrong and Armstrong, 1990). As a result, iron (and
perhaps manganese) is precipitated and an iron plaque or coating appears. Neither
the exact chemical nature of this plaque nor the relative importance of external
physical/chemical or internal physiological processes in its formation is well
understood. Its effect on root absorptive processes seems apparent, as a filter or
chemical adsorptive surface, but little information is available. Overall, wetland
plants show adequate nutrient status and vigor under these conditions (Hutchin-
son, 1975).
Plants growing in constructed wetlands used for wastewater treatment have to
be tolerant of more extreme chemical conditions, such as elevated metals, nutri-
ents, and organic carbon. In the case of landfill leachate, Phragrnites roots
encounter very high levels of ammonium, potassium, sodium, iron and other metals
(Staubitz et al., 1989). Under these conditions, concerns about growth, healthy
rhizosphere function, tissue accumulation of nutrient and metal elements and
maximum water treatment arise. Therefore, the response of Phragmites australis in
constructed wetlands treating landfill leachate was examined. Growth, tissue
elemental composition, and chemical characteristics of the rhizosphere plaque
were measured during the second growing season of an operating treatment
system.

2. Materials and methods

Four constructed wetland plots (or beds) were installed at the Tompkins County
municipal solid waste facility located in upstate New York, USA. Each bed
measured 3 m wide, 30 m long, and 0.6 m deep and were lined with high-density
polyethylene. The bottom slopes are 0.5% and the top slopes are zero. Bed I was
filled with coarse gravel (4 cm), while Bed IV was filled with pea gravel (0.5 cm),
and Beds II and III were filled with a sand/gravel (2 cm) mixture. Bed II was left
unplanted. Control plants were collected from a nearby natural stand, growing on
fine-textured soils with a variable water table rarely above the soil surface. This is
the usual Phragmites growth habit in central New York State.
A leachate collection system installed around the perimeter of the landfill
collected leachate, which was then pumped to a 7.6 m 3 feed tank. A 5.0 cm
polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe ran from the feed tank to a distribution box where it
 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35 23

was split into four separate lines. Each line contained a valve to regulate flow, an
inline water meter to record the quantity of leachate liquid applied, and a solenoid
valve for emergency shut-down.
From the distribution box, leachate flowed into a perforated pipe installed
across the bottom at the head of each plot. The treated leachate exited each bed
through a downstream inline flow meter to a 2.8 m 3 collection tank where it was
pumped back to the landfill. The water level in each bed was regulated by the
height of a flexible hose located at the outflow. Five slotted teflon wells were
installed at equal spacing throughout each bed to sample pore water. Before
sampling, wells were emptied by vacuum pump and allowed to refill twice. Pore
water was withdrawn by vacuum into evacuated flasks, which were stoppered and
cooled to 4 C until analysis. Other design and operating parameters were discussed
by Surface et al. (1993).
Rhizomes of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. with small amounts of native soil
attached and some shoot material were planted in Beds I, III and IV in April 1989
at a depth of 12-15 cm, just above the free water table. A nominal spacing of 1 m
was followed. During the 2-month establishment time (May-June), chemical
fertilizer at a rate of 10 k g / h a of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus was added
and the water level in the planted substrates maintained at or just below the
rhizomes.
Leachate applications began in July 1990, with subsurface flow maintained at a
rate of 2000 1 per day per bed, and a residence time of 15 days. This flow regime
was maintained until October 1991 with only short periods of no flow. Growth
conditions in the root zone were anaerobic (redox potential - 2 0 0 to - 2 5 0 mV),
saturated with leachate at mean pH 7.2 (Table 1), and at temperatures of 16 to
23°C during May to September, 1991, the period of research reported here. A
tipping bucket rain gage was used for precipitation measurements to allow for

Table 1
Landfill leachate influent total soluble concentration values for nutrients and other elements, May-
September, 1991
Element Mean ( + SE) Maximum Minimum
H pH 7.3 (0.1) 7.9 6.8
N mg/1 312 (26) 393 260
P mg/l 0.70 (0.67) 1.84 0.21
K mg/l 545 (128) 1070 225
Ca mg/l 160 (18) 186 92.0
Fe mg/l 13.2 (4.3) 30.2 6.60
Mn mg/I 1.59 (0.42) 3.47 0.55
Zn mg/I 0.03 (0.02) 0.12 < 0.01
Cu mg/l 0.02 (0.01) 0.06 < 0.01
AI mg/l 0.23 (0.02) 0.26 0.15
Pb mg/1 0.03 (0.01) 0.06 < 0.01
Cd mg/1 - < 0.01 < 0.01
24 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

water budget calculations. Evapotranspiration for each bed was estimated by

difference between water inputs (metered leachate plus rainfall) and outputs
(metered outflow).
Oxygen and temperature were determined using a Yellow Springs Instrument
54A meter and electrode with appropriate temperature correction. The pH was
determined using an Orion meter by standard methods (APHA, 1985). Water
samples were analyzed colorimetrically for NO3-N and NH4~-N, and total soluble
phosphate according to USEPA (1979). All other elements in water were deter-
mined by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spectroscopy.
Shoot counts in each bed were taken monthly in three previously established
meter-square quadrats, and means reported for each planted bed. On September
20, 1991, before first frost, biomass estimates were made by removing all living
plant material in five, 25 cm square quadrats from each planted bed. Samples were
divided into roots, rhizomes and shoots, washed carefully in tap water, dried at
80°C for over 48 h, and mean dry weight determined for each tissue. All samples
were ground to a mesh 40 powder in a Wiley mill for chemical analysis.
Nitrogen in plant tissue was determined by the Kjeldahl method. For other
elements, subsamples were ashed overnight in quartz crucibles at 500°C, treated
with nitric acid, dried, heated to 400°C, and cooled. The residue was dissolved in 1
M HCI, diluted, and tissue elements analyzed by 1CP spectroscopy.
Fresh roots and rhizomes were cut into 1 mm sections in preparation for
electron microscopy. They were immediately plunged into liquid propane, frozen
and freeze-dried overnight. Individual sections were mounted on scanning stubs
and coated with gold.
Samples were analyzed and scanned using an AMR-100A scanning electron
microscope and the Tracor Northern TN-2000 X-ray attachments.

3. Results and discussion

Establishment of Phragmites australis on the relatively coarse-textured sub-

strates used for leachate treatment was not inhibited as long as a small amount of
native soil was placed with rhizomes at planting. The presence of small, intact
shoots on the rhizomes was also conducive to successful plant establishment.
Live shoot counts throughout the 1991 growing season are presented in Fig. 1.
This shows a continual increase with time in production of new shoots in all beds.
This is expected of indeterminate wetland plants like Phragmites. Shoot density
just before frost peaked at about one shoot per 55 cm 2 for Bed III.
Perhaps of greater importance than shoot density is biomass, to indicate overall
plant health and function. Again in Fig. 1, shoot biomass on September 20 ranged
from 0.74 to 1.52 k g / m 2, the greater biomass measured not in Bed III where shoot
counts were highest, but in Bed I where growth was on coarse gravel. The reasons
for fewer but heavier, thicker plants in Bed I on coarse gravel are not known. As
noted by Surface et al. (1993), the presence of plants in Bed III was correlated with
greater treatment efficiency of NH4-N, P, and BOD compared to the unplanted
 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35 25

Apr Ma~, June Jul), Aug Sept

I I I I I I

t~ .... coarse (2- to 4-cm) gravel (Bed I)

......... sand and gravel (Bed 1 )
fine (0.5-cm) gravel (Bed IV)
U2
e¢ BIOMASS (ko/m 2)
< .Stcm~ Rools Rhizomcs Total
1991 ,.()s o.o~ ~)78 1,~5
r¢ 15( -
n

..............
r~ /j/
o~
.,'" 0.74 ().(IS 0.44 1.26

cv_ lO0 - ////" .......... ""'"'""" _ ....... ,- 152 ()ll 115 ~7 m

©
t~
r,1

513 i i i i
100 150 200 250 300
JULIAN DAY
Fig. 1. Live shoot counts and biomass of Phragmites australis shoots, roots and rhizomes growing on
leachate t r e a t m e n t beds, M a y - S e p t e m b e r 1991.

Bed II (same substrate), but greater root and shoot biomass in Bed I was not more
effective in removing the leachate constituents referred to above compared to
other planted beds. Likewise, the coarse substrate in Bed I created no differences
in plant nutrient contents or root plaque quantity or quality, as explained below.
Evapotranspiration (ET) was calculated for each bed to allow for evaluation of
root and leaf function for not only photosynthesis but also water and associated
elemental absorption. E T in cumulative centimeters is presented in Fig. 2, where
the maximum evaporative loss measured in Bed I represented a daily rate of about
0.5 c m / d a y for the May-July period. As illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the greater
number of shoots in Bed III was not as important for overall E T as the total shoot
biomass in Bed I was, E T being a function of larger overall leaf canopy area in Bed
I. In contrast, treatment efficiencies (contaminant removal) were often greater for
Beds III or IV, where shoot densities were equal to or greater than in Bed I
(Surface et al., 1993). This difference in treatment efficiencies was correlated with
not only the greater shoot numbers but the finer substrate textures in Beds III and
IV. Root biomass was not significantly different among the three planted beds, but
there was clearly greater root plus rhizome biomass for Bed I. As pointed out by
Bedford et al. (1991), oxygen release at root surfaces by most emergent wetland
plants has little effect beyond the immediate rhizosphere region. Therefore, plant
biomass differences of the magnitudes exhibited here may not be manifested in
treatment efficiencies.
26 J.H. Peverly et al./ Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

60 Ma~' June July,

! I I

.... 2- to 4-crn gravel, planted (Bed I)

sand and gravel, unplanted (Bed II)
50 . . . . . . . . . . sand and gravel, planted (Bed Ill)
z" • 0.5-cm gravel, planted (Bed IVI

ps
<
,¢ pl
~- 40 ~ s
s~
1991
jP
oN
~ 3o
~r.) s S /
j / ;
~.z j"
f
/ - -
< 20 sI f
s ,'
s j

10
~J

s .............
0 ..s" ............. "1 I
130 150 170 190 210
JULIAN DAY

Fig. 2. Cumulative evapotranspiration for Phragmites australis growing on leachate treatment beds,
including the unplanted bed; May-September, 1991.

N content of the Phragmites tissues was elevated compared to the control plants
(Table 2). This was not the case for K in spite of the very high soluble concentra-
tion in the leachate bathing roots (Table 1). The tissue levels for both N and K are
similar to values reported by Hutchinson (1975) for world-wide samples. An
additional result of the identical leachate dominating the root zone pore water
chemistry in all beds was that nutrient and metal contents of the reeds were not
different among the beds. Therefore, overall elemental content means for all the
beds are presented in Table 2.
Of the major nutrients, only P appeared to be possibly limiting, with low
leachate concentration restricting plant absorption to tissue levels below not only
the controls but also growth limiting tissue concentrations of 0.1% (Hutchinson,
1975). Calcium tissue content was not different than the same control tissues, with
greater concentrations in the roots in both control and leachate-treated plants.
Metal ion contents of reed tissues are presented in Table 2. In most cases, there
is little difference in tissue concentrations between reed controls and reeds from
the leachate treatment beds, except for root tissues. Growth in the leachate beds
seemed to have caused increased levels of Pb, Cd, and Cu in root tissues. This was
not observed for the rhizome and shoot tissues, compared to controls. In all cases,
root tissues contained much greater metal concentrations than did rhizomes or
shoot tissue.
Table 2
Elemental analysis of Phragmites australis tissue grown on leachate treatment beds and control areas nearby, September, 1991: mean (+ SE)
Element Control Constructed beds
Roots a Rhizomes a Tops Roots a Rhizomes a Tops
N (%) 1.05 (0.04) 0.75 (0.13) 1.19 (0.27) 2.03 (0.11) 1.85 (0.11) 1.77 (0.12)
p (%) 0.06 (0.01) 0.06 (0.02) 0.06 (0.01) 0.05 (0.01) 0.03 (0.01) 0.04 (0.01)
K (%) 1.02 (0.29) 1.09 (0.12) 0.99 (0.18) 0.75 (0.04) 0.84 (0.06) 0.83 (0.09)
Ca (%) 0.84 (0.35) 0.07 (0.01) 0.17 (0.02) 0.71 (0.10) 0.08 (0.01) 0.13 (0.01)
Fe mg/kg 3926 (1333) 299 (41) 98.2 (10.7) 3640 (643) 199 (34.9) 94.2 (12.1)
Mn mg/kg 262 (70) 64.3 (24.5) 52.5 (13.0) 266 (19) 37.7 (3.5) 87.5 (8.4)
Zn mg/kg 70.2 (15.1) 16.5 (3.3) 17.9 (2.5) 46.3 (3.6) 12.2 (0.83) 16.6 (1.2)
Cu mg/kg 22.7 (4.13) 4.64 (0.74) 2.60 (0.35) 63.5 (8.7) 6.46 (0.30) 2.88 (0.34)
Pb mg/kg 7.20 (1.0) 0.30 (0.11) 0.28 (0.08) 12.2 (4.2) 0.24 (0.06) 0.09 (0.03)
AI mg/kg 2583 (844) 109 (13.3) 30.5 (6.7) 1260 (138) 102 (14) 31.4 (4.4)
Cd mg/kg 0.18 (0.08) 0.06 (0.02) 0.04 (0.02) 0.25 (0.08) 0.10 (0.04) 0.05 (0.02)

I
a Water-washed.
28 J.H. Peverly et aL / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

Table 3
Nutrient and metal load in plant biomass in September, 1991, compared to total influent leachate load,
May-August, 1991
N P K Fe Mn Zn Cu Pb Cd
Bed I g/m 2 mg/m 2
Shoots 26.9 0.56 12.7 143 133 25.2 4.38 0.14 0.08
Rhizomes 21.9 0.33 9.69 229 43.3 14.0 7.43 0.28 0.12
Roots 20.0 0.06 0.78 400 28.9 5.11 6.99 1.34 0.03
TOTAL 50.8 0.95 23.2 772 205 44.3 18.8 1.76 0.23
Influent 446 0.99 778 18833 2267 42.8 28.5 99.9 < 14.3
Bed III
Shoots 19.1 0.44 9.00 102 94.4 17.9 3.11 0.10 0.05
Rhizomes 14.4 0.22 6.56 156 28.9 9.44 5.03 0.19 0.08
Roots 1.78 0.04 0.67 328 24.4 4.22 5.71 1.10 0.02
TOTAL 35.3 0.70 16.2 586 148 31.6 13.8 1.38 0.15
Influent 357 0.80 622 15078 1811 34.2 22.8 80.0 < 11.4
Bed IV
Shoots 13.1 0.33 6.11 70.0 64.4 12.2 2.13 0.07 0.04
Rhizomes 8.11 0.11 3.67 87.8 16.7 3.67 2.84 0.11 0.04
Roots 1.67 0.04 0.56 29l 21.1 5.33 5.08 0.98 0.02
TOTAL 22.9 0.49 10.3 449 102 21.2 10.0 1.15 0.10
Influent 446 1.00 778 18844 2267 42.9 28.6 99.9 < 14.3

I r o n was especially c o n c e n t r a t e d in r o o t s a m p l e s from b o t h c o n t r o l s a n d

l e a c h a t e beds. A s is c o m m o n l y o b s e r v e d , t h e s e r o o t e x h i b i t e d an o r a n g e , oxidized
iron c o l o r in o r on t h e i r surfaces, s o m e t i m e s r e f e r r e d to as an iron p l a q u e w h e n
visibly l a y e r e d on t h e r o o t s o f w e t l a n d plants. T h e cause o f such d e p o s i t i o n s is
t h o u g h t to b e oxygen m o v e m e n t across the r o o t cortex into t h e r h i z o s p h e r e w h e n
oxygen s u p p l y to t h e r o o t s from t o p s is sufficient (Conlin a n d C r o w d e r , 1989). In
an a n a e r o b i c e n v i r o n m e n t , w h e r e b o t h c o n t r o l a n d l e a c h a t e t r e a t m e n t p l a n t s w e r e
growing, t h e r e w o u l d b e little o t h e r s o u r c e o f oxygen or iron o x i d a t i o n p o t e n t i a l .
T h e a c t u a l a m o u n t s o f n u t r i e n t a n d m e t a l u p t a k e by p l a n t s a r e p r e s e n t e d in
T a b l e 3 a n d c o m p a r e d to total influent quantities. A n y o n e e l e m e n t d i s t r i b u t i o n in
d i f f e r e n t tissues was similar a m o n g beds. P h o s p h o r u s was the only m a j o r n u t r i e n t
which was a c c u m u l a t e d to levels a p p r o a c h i n g total i n p u t levels. This w o u l d b e
e x p e c t e d f r o m t h e very low P c o n c e n t r a t i o n values r e p o r t e d a b o v e for tissues o f
Phragmites ( T a b l e 2). Z i n c a n d C u also s h o w e d p l a n t a c c u m u l a t i o n which was an
a p p r e c i a b l e f r a c t i o n of t o t a l influent loads, b u t Z n a c c u m u l a t e d in shoots while Cu
a c c u m u l a t e d in r o o t s a n d rhizomes.
F o r a l m o s t every e l e m e n t in T a b l e 3, shoots c o n t a i n e d t h e g r e a t e s t load,
f o l l o w e d by r h i z o m e s a n d roots, respectively. This was a function p r i m a r i l y o f
b i o m a s s q u a n t i t y for e a c h tissue. E x c e p t i o n s to this e l e m e n t l o a d i n g p a t t e r n w e r e
e x h i b i t e d by F e , Cu, a n d Pb, which a c c u m u l a t e d in t h e r o o t tissues. This was a
f u n c t i o n o f t h e relatively high c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f t h e s e e l e m e n t s m e a s u r e d in (or
on) t h e r o o t s ( T a b l e 2). S i m i l a r t r e n d s in r o o t s o f Phragmites in lakes w e r e
r e p o r t e d by S c h i e r u p a n d L a r s e n (1981) for Cu, Pb, a n d Cd. T h e heavy iron p l a q u e
 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35 29

on the roots reported here may have produced a greater apparent root accumula-
tion of the very insoluble Cu and Pb by adsorption to the plaques. Also, Tanton
and Crowdy (1971) suggested that the endodermis may be a major barrier for the
translocation of these heavy metals.
Iron hydroxyoxide films on or in root surfaces could have a filtering function for
certain readily-adsorbed, but soluble ions which move to the root surface in the ET
stream. In the case of heavy metals, an adsorptive function by the iron plaque may

Fig. 3. Surface views of Phragmites australis roots and rhizomes. Note the absence of roothairs on the
rhizome. (a) Control root surfaces. (b) Root surface from the leachate treatment beds. (c) Rhizome
surface from the leachate treatment beds.
30 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

protect plant tissue from accumulated toxic concentrations. According to the

results in Table 2 and 3, such a function may be working for Pb, Cu, and Cd.
The site of the iron deposition and associated metals was examined in cross-sec-
tions of roots and rhizome by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanaly-
sis. Surface views of young, uncoated roots and roots from the leachate beds in Fig.
3 show the thickness and complexity of the plaque on the root surfaces from the
beds. Both young roots and leachate-treated rhizomes are relatively clean. Again,
this is suggestive of oxygen release at root surfaces over time which results in the

Fig. 3 (continued).
 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35 31

Fig. 3 (continued).

accumulation of oxidized iron and other materials carried in transpirational water

to the root surfaces. Rhizomes evidently don't release oxygen to the rhizosphere
nor absorb water to any extent.
The root tissue analytical results in Table 2 represent washed roots. Obviously
appreciable iron and other metals still reside on or in the tissues even after a
thorough wash with tap water. Considering that the analytical results are for bulk
root tissue, the question remains as to whether the iron plaque and associated
metals reside only on the surface or inside the tissue also. In other words, is this
32 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

metal retention by roots primarily a physical/chemical process on the surface; or is

the barrier to metal transport to shoots internal with deposition across the cortex
and stele?
X-ray spectra of points across a typical root cross section are presented in Fig.
4. There spectra showed a sharp decrease in metal peaks between the surface and
cortex, except for Ca and K. There was a further drop in relative metal concentra-

Fig. 4. X-ray spectra at points traversing a Phragmites australis root. (a) Root cross-section from the
leachate beds. (b) X-ray spectra at point 1, surface. (c) X-ray spectra at point 2, cortex. (d) X-ray
spectra at point 3, stele.
 J.H. Peverly et al. / Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35 33

,a ~ VFS,llI384
L.VI_Si.I~F1E~

C
A f~

A ~ VFS.16~t
LVt. ROOT

C T
RS A C K A I M F F C Z
LI U L N E E U N
, • II

L V I . ROOT ~ ~"

Fig. 4 (continued).

tion between cortex and stele as indicated by very weak spectral peaks at the
endodermis.
These results indicate the large concentration of Fe at the root surface in these
plants grown on leachate treatment beds. There is also some indication of Cu, Zn,
and Mn in the root surface spectra, but no evidence of Pb or Cd. Bulk chemical
analysis showed elevated levels of all the above. It is suggested that most of the Pb
and Cd measured by chemical analysis was at the surface, but not at concentra-
tions susceptible to X-ray microanalysis.

4. C o n c l u s i o n s
Phragmites australis grew well on constructed wetlands used for landfill leachate
treatment. Coarse gravel (4 cm) was a better medium than pea gravel (0.5 cm) or a
sand/gravel mixed substrate for growth, but not for leachate treatment.
34 J.H. Peverly et al. /Ecological Engineering 5 (1995) 21-35

Flow of substrate pore water (leachate) to the root absorptive surfaces as a

result of evapotranspiration created a buildup of particulate material, consisting of
clay minerals, precipitated Fe (and other metals) and microbes. It is suggested Fe
precipitated as a result of oxygen release from the roots.
Roots a n d / o r their iron coatings acted as filters for metal movement into
rhizomes and tops. Metal concentration was not increased in rhizomes or tops
compared to controls, except for Pb.
Rhizomes showed no surface debris and therefore no evidence for oxygen
release to the rhizosphere or for water uptake.
Relative metal concentration decreased in roots as X-ray point analysis moved
from the surface to the cortex to the stele, suggesting an internal exclusion
mechanism for excess metal protection as well as the physical/chemical one at the
root surface.
Phragmites growth may have been close to nutrient limitation by P, Zn or Cu as
indicated by high plant loads compared to total soluble influent loads.

Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the cooperation and financial support of the New York
State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Solid Waste Division,
Tompkins County, New York State.

References

American Public Health Association (APHA), 1985. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water
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