Fugitive gases reduction and carbon sequestration potential of ecological floating beds

Abstract

Ecological floating beds (EFBs) are widely utilized as a green, cost-effective, and efficient technology for biologicalwater treatment in ponds, rivers, and secondary treatment of wastewater plant effluents. However, their potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) absorption and transformation is often overlooked. This paper begins by summarizing the accounting and emission status of GHGs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), reviewing plant-microbial interactions in the phyllosphere and rhizosphere, and exploring plant-microbial-mediated transformations of carbon and nitrogen cycles. Special attention is given to variations in carbon and nitrogen cycling intensities within the plant phyllosphere and rhizosphere under warm and humid conditions with elevated GHG concentrations. We propose an exploratory approach using Ecological Floating Beds-Greenhouse (EFBs-GH) to absorb and transform fugitive gases from biochemical tanks, while enhancing sewage treatment efficiency. The study investigates the advantages and potential of EFBs for carbon sequestration and efficiency improvement in WWTPs, aiming to provide technical solutions and theoretical foundations for reducing fugitive gas emissions, including GHGs and odorous gases, etc., from concentrated sources such as WWTPs.