Date of Award

12-1996

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

First Advisor

Michael L. Shelley, PhD

Abstract

Many communities and Air Force installations are using constructed wetlands to filter trace metals from their stormwater runoff. Constructed wetlands are attractive to industry for runoff mitigation because they are relatively cheap to build and operate and require little or no energy for operation. The purpose of this research project is to develop quantitative concepts for understanding the dynamics of metal uptake in constructed wetland plants by constructing a system dynamics model supported by experimental observation and offer environmental managers a tool to simulate, under a broad range of conditions, long term wetland exposure to stormwater runoff contaminated with trace metals. There are two phases in this project, a modeling phase and an experimental phase. Greater emphasis was given to model development initially in order to determine aspects of the experimental design. The results of the study indicate that metal can accumulate in wetland plants and sediment. Changes in different wetland parameters affect the rate at which metal accumulates in wetland plants and other components. A complete understanding of which wetland parameters to manipulate is essential for proper management of constructed wetlands for stormwater treatment.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GEE-ENV-96D-15

DTIC Accession Number

ADA323868

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