No abstract

Factors affecting the removal of opportunistic pathogens were evaluated in a hybrid constructed wetland (CW 2) treating rural wastewater. The correlations between the bacterial population and the environmental variables showed that bacteria discharge was the result of abiotic factors change such as temperature (T), electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), organic matter and nutrient availability, as well as biotic factors like antagonism and competition with the native microbial community. However, the contribution of each factor depends on bacteria nature, on the influence of wetland design, availability of oxygen, season, presence of plant, and wastewater composition. Higher removals rates of biochemical oxygen demand BOD 5 (94.64 ± 3.92%), chemical oxygen demand COD (90.91 ± 6.81%), total suspended solids TSS (98.05 ± 1.18%), nitrogen (total Kjeldahl nitrogen TKN (81.78 ± 11.01%), ammonia nitrogen NH + 4 (92.17 ± 6.56%), orthophosphate PO 3− 4 (79.73 ± 10.41%) and bacteria (>98%) were observed in CW 2 .