Abstract:The objective of this study was to investigate the purifying efficiency of domestic sewage in constructed wetlands planted with three mangrove species, Sonneratia caseolaris (Sc), Aegiceras corniculatum (Ac) and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (Bg). Experiment was conducted in South China Normal University, Guangdong Province of China, from January 2005 to December 2005. One-year seedlings of mangroves obtained from Futian Nature Reserve, Shenzhen Bay were grown in small constructed wetlands (surface area: 4 m2) at a density of 30 plants per wetland. Water samples were collected three times a month and analyzed for CODCr, BOD5, NH4+-N, NO2--N, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). Results indicated that mangrove wetlands were capable of removing pollutants from domestic sewage. Average removal rates of BOD5, CODCr, TP, TN, NH4+-N and NO2--N were greater than 83%,71%,41%, 55%, 50% and 84% respectively. Removal rates of BOD5 and CODCr were relatively steady and removal rates of all forms of nutrients fluctuated wildly over time. Purifying effects to pollutants were different among three mangrove species. Removal rates in Sc and Ac wetlands were significantly higher than those in Bg wetland. However, except TP, no significant difference in removal rates was found between Sc and Ac wetlands. Removal rate increased with hydraulic retention time (HRT). Removal rates of BOD5,CODCr,TN and NH4+-N in 1d and 2d of HRT accounted for 54%-65% and 73%~84% of removal rates in 3d of HRT, respectively. Removal rates of NO2--N in 1d and 2d of HRT accounted for 70%-81% and 85%-94% of removal rates in 3d of HRT, respectively. However, removal rates of TP in 1d and 2d of HRT only accounted for 39%-50% and 65%-74% of removal rates in 3d of HRT, respectively. Moreover, removal rates of BOD5, CODCr, TP, TN and NH4+-N in the mangrove wetlands were evidently lower than those in Cyperus alternifoliu wetlands. Generally, pollutant removal rate showed a sequence of Sc wetland≈Ac wetland>Bg wetland.