Emission of N2O and CH4 from a constructed wetland in southeastern Norway

The Skjønhaug constructed wetland (CW) is a free surface water (FSW) wetland polishing chemically treated municipal wastewater in southeastern Norway and consists of three ponds as well as trickling, unsaturated filters with light weight aggregates (LWA). Fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) have been measured during the autumn, winter and summer from all three ponds as well as from the unsaturated filters. Physicochemical parameters of the water have been measured at the same localities. The large temporal and spatial variation of N2O fluxes was found to cover a range of −0.49 to 110 mg N2O–N m−2 day−1, while the fluxes of CH4 was found to cover a range of −1.2 to 1900 mg m−2 day−1. Thus, both emission and consumption occurred. Regarding fluxes of N2O there was a significant difference between the summer, winter and autumn, with the highest emissions occurring during the autumn. The fluxes of CH4 were, on the other hand, not significantly different with regard to seasons. Both the emissions of N2O and CH4 were positively influenced by the amount of total organic carbon (TOC). The measured fluxes of N2O and CH4 are in the same range as those reported from other CWs treating wastewater. There was an approximately equal contribution to the global warming potential from N2O and CH4.