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2026 Vol.59, Issue 7 Preview Page
Analysis of carbon emission reduction in constructed wetland-based water treatment processes: Focusing on nutrient removal

인공습지를 활용한 친환경 수처리 공정의 탄소 배출 저감 효과 분석: 영양염류 제거를 중심으로

Bogyeon Leea
,
Kyungik Gilb*
이 보견a
,
길 경익b*
aCombined Master's-PhD Program, Department of Civil Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea
bProfessor, Department of Civil Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea
a서울과학기술대학교 건설시스템공학과 석박사통합과정
b서울과학기술대학교 건설시스템공학과 교수
*Corresponding Author
31 July 2026. pp. 678-689
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Abstract

As the climate crisis worsens, research on carbon neutrality is continuing in various fields. Constructed wetlands have been studied as facilities for treating influent from wastewater treatment plants, based on their design capacity to remove pollutants through vegetation, microorganisms, soil, and filter media. With pollutants removal effects, constructed wetlands have the advantage of being able to be utilized as carbon sinks for carbon neutrality, and furthermore, as eco-friendly water treatment facilities to reduce carbon emissions generated during current wastewater treatment process. This study analyzed the pollutants removal effects of constructed wetlands and, based on the results, aimed to arithmetically analyze the potential effects of applying constructed wetlands to reduce carbon emissions during the water treatment process. This study analyzed pollutant reduction performance, focusing on total nitrogen and phosphorus, the primary targets of removal at current wastewater treatment plants. Based on pollutant removal effects, this study determine the extent to which the application of constructed wetlands could contribute to reducing CO2 emissions from current wastewater treatment plants. Results showed a high removal efficiency of 94.7% for TN, and 61.4% for TP. These results are consistent with previous studies for TN removal efficiency but with disparity in TP removal efficiency depending on the wetland operation conditions. This study found that treating the influent of a wastewater treatment plant using an constructed wetland can reduce CO2 emissions from the current emissions of 1.68 million tons (as of 2024) emitted during the wastewater treatment process by a minimum of 0.24 million tons and a maximum of 1.23 million tons. This study suggests the potential that natural purification of wastewater water through constructed wetlands contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in the water sector.

Keywords
Constructed wetlands (CWs)
Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
Natural purification
TN (Total nitrogen)
TP (Total phosphorus) CO2 emission
Carbon neutrality

기후 위기가 심화됨에 따라 다양한 분야에서 탄소 중립을 위한 연구가 계속되고 있다. 인공습지는 식생, 미생물, 토양 및 여재를 통한 오염물질 제거 효과를 근거로 하수처리장 원수 처리를 위한 시설로 연구되어 오고 있다. 인공습지는 수질 정화 기능을 기반으로 탄소 중립을 위한 탄소 흡수원, 더 나아가 현행 하수처리 공법 중 발생 되는 탄소 배출량 저감을 위한 친환경 수처리 시설로 활용될 수 있다는 이점이 있다. 본 연구에서는 인공습지를 통한 수질 정화 효과를 분석하고, 해당 결과를 바탕으로 수처리 과정 중 탄소 배출량 저감을 위한 인공습지 적용의 잠재적 효과를 산술적으로 분석하고자 하였다. 현재 하수처리장의 주요 제거 대상 물질인 질소와 인을 중심으로 오염물질 저감 성능을 분석하였으며, 오염물질 제거 효과를 바탕으로, 인공습지 적용 시 현재의 하수처리장을 통한 수처리로부터 배출되는 CO2 저감에 기여할 수 있는 정도를 파악하고자 하였다. 연구 결과 TN의 경우 94.7%의 높은 제거 효율을 나타냈으며, TP는 61.4%의 제거 효율을 보였다. 본 연구의 결과는 선행 연구에서의 TN 제거 효과와 일관된 양상을 보였으나, 습지 운영 조건에 따라 TP 제거 효과에서는 상이한 결과를 보였다. 인공습지를 통한 하수처리장 유입수 처리 시 현재 하수 처리 과정에서 배출되는 CO2 약 1.68백만 ton (2024년 기준)에서 최소 0.24백만 ton, 최대 1.23백만 ton까지 저감 할 수 있는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구를 통해 하수처리장 원수의 인공습지를 통한 자연정화로 물 분야에서의 CO2 배출량 저감에 기여할 수 있는 잠재성을 시사했다.

키워드
인공습지
하수처리장
자연정화
총질소
총인 CO2 배출
탄소 중립
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Information
  • Publisher :KOREA WATER RESOURECES ASSOCIATION
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국수자원학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국수자원학회 논문집
  • Volume : 59
  • No :7
  • Pages :678-689
  • Received Date : 2026-03-06
  • Revised Date : 2026-04-27
  • Accepted Date : 2026-05-08
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.3741/JKWRA.2026.59.7.679
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