ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Ecological Restoration Project’s Contribution
to Improving the Water Quality of Reclaimed
Water Replenishing Urban Rivers
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1
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geography Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
2
Ecological Environment Monitoring Station, Ningbo Yinzhou District, Ningbo 315000, China
3
Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
Submission date: 2024-01-12
Final revision date: 2024-02-01
Acceptance date: 2024-02-15
Online publication date: 2024-05-20
Publication date: 2024-07-25
Corresponding author
Xiao Wang
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geography Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(6):6069-6081
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ABSTRACT
Ecological restoration technologies have become effective measures for improving urban water systems.
In this study, water quality monitoring, acute biological toxicity tests, and microorganism and antibioticresistance
gene analyses were conducted to comprehensively understand the contribution of ecological
restoration projects to improving the water quality of reclaimed water-replenishing urban rivers. The results
showed that the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and
ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) exhibited a downward trend along the flow direction throughout the ecological
restoration engineering area. The amounts of NH4+-N and COD were further reduced through ecological
restoration engineering to approximately 75% and 35%, respectively. It demonstrates a notable mitigating
effect on the acute biological toxicity of organisms, leading to a substantial rise in the half-inhibitory
concentration for Luminous bacteria, Chlorella, and Daphnia magnas. The increases are observed within the
ranges of 4.94 to 6.91 N, 10.85 to 46.04 N, and 2.98 to 5.80 N, respectively. In addition, it has a better control
effect on pathogenic bacteria, drug-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic-resistance genes. Therefore, ecological
restoration projects are more promising measures to further improve reclaimed water before the replenishment
of urban rivers. This is an effective and feasible method to ensure the safety and quality of reclaimed water.