EFFICIENCY OF A SMALL ARTIFICIAL WETLAND WITH AN INDUSTRIAL URBAN CATCHMENT

The efficiency of a small artificial wetland in Waiter Park, in an ind ustrial urban area in the City of Lake Macquarie, Australia, was exami ned by monitoring lead levels and suspended solids contents in the wat er. The location was adjacent to a main road and near a lead-zinc smel ter. Samples taken from the sediment were subjected to selective chemi cal extraction procedures to investigate the behaviour of lead in the sediment and mechanisms of lead removal in the wetland. The wetland wa s relatively effective in removing lead and suspended solids, except f or heavy flows. The removal of lead in the wetland was attributed to s edimentary processes, adsorption of lead on exchange sites and lead bo und to the carbonate and oxidizable phases. (C) 1998 Published by Else vier Science B.V.