Polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), as hazardous pollutants,
could be removed by constructed wetlands (CWs). While the traditional
substrate of CWs has a weak adsorption capacity for PAHs, in this
study, the carbonous fillersactivated carbon (AC) and biocharwere
added into the substrate of surface flow CWs to improve the removal
performance of benzofluoranthrene (BbFA), a typical PAH. The results
showed that the BbFA removal efficiencies in CWs with the addition
of AC and biochar were 11.8 and 1.2% higher than those in the Control
group, respectively. Simultaneously, the removal efficiencies of NO3
––N were 42.8 and 68.4% in these
two CWs, while the BbFA content in the substrate and plants with the
addition of carbon was lower than that in the Control group. The addition
of carbonous filler reduced the absorption of PAHs by plants in CWs
and enhanced microbial degradation. The microbial community results
showed that the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, especially γ-proteobacteria, was higher with the addition of fillers,
which related to PAH degradation.