IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i13p6138-d1694623.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Review of the Effects and Influencing Factors of Vertical Greening Systems in Wastewater Treatment

Author

Listed:
  • Wencong Zhu

    (College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China)

  • Xiangyong Zheng

    (College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
    National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Ecological Treatment Technology of Urban Water Pollution, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China)

  • Min Zhao

    (College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
    National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Ecological Treatment Technology of Urban Water Pollution, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China)

  • Huijun Xiang

    (College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China)

  • Suyang Zhang

    (College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
    National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Ecological Treatment Technology of Urban Water Pollution, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China)

  • Wenjuan Han

    (College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
    National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Ecological Treatment Technology of Urban Water Pollution, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China)

Abstract

Vertical greening systems (VGSs) serve as an advanced ecological wastewater treatment technology, offering advantages such as a small spatial footprint and increased green space coverage. VGSs have been widely applied to treat various types of wastewaters, including blackwater and greywater. However, a systematic review of the pollutant removal efficiency of VGSs in treating blackwater and greywater, as well as the influencing factors, remains lacking. This study compiles data on the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 + -N) from greywater and blackwater using VGSs. Additionally, the effects of the hydraulic loading rate, substrate type, and the number of system layers on pollutant removal performance are assessed. When treating blackwater, the pollutant removal efficiency showed a positive correlation with hydraulic loading within the range of 85 L × (m 2 × d) −1 to 200 L × (m 2 × d) −1 ; substrates such as zeolite or vermiculite exhibited superior removal performance, and increasing the number of system layers enhanced the pollutant removal efficiency. When treating greywater, the hydraulic loading rate and system layers have limited influence on COD and TN removal, while excessive hydraulic loading or system layers may negatively affect TP removal. Substrate mixtures composed of perlite and coconut coir achieved a higher pollutant removal efficiency. In conclusion, optimizing key parameters such as the hydraulic loading rate, substrate composition, and the number of system layers can significantly enhance the pollutant removal efficiency of VGSs.

Suggested Citation

  • Wencong Zhu & Xiangyong Zheng & Min Zhao & Huijun Xiang & Suyang Zhang & Wenjuan Han, 2025. "A Review of the Effects and Influencing Factors of Vertical Greening Systems in Wastewater Treatment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:6138-:d:1694623
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/6138/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/6138/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Puyi Wang & Yew Hoong Wong & Chou Yong Tan & Sheng Li & Wen Tong Chong, 2022. "Vertical Greening Systems: Technological Benefits, Progresses and Prospects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-22, October.
    2. Wen Wang & Xiaolin Zhou & Suqing Wu & Min Zhao & Zhan Jin & Ke Bei & Xiangyong Zheng & Chunzhen Fan, 2024. "Vertical Green Wall Systems for Rainwater and Sewage Treatment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Pérez, Gabriel & Rincón, Lídia & Vila, Anna & González, Josep M. & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2011. "Green vertical systems for buildings as passive systems for energy savings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4854-4859.
    4. Jorge Alejandro Silva, 2023. "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse for Sustainable Water Resources Management: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-31, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Susca, T. & Zanghirella, F. & Colasuonno, L. & Del Fatto, V., 2022. "Effect of green wall installation on urban heat island and building energy use: A climate-informed systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    2. Yangang Xing & Phil Jones & Iain Donnison, 2017. "Characterisation of Nature-Based Solutions for the Built Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-20, January.
    3. Qusay Abu-Afifeh & Michel Rahbeh & Aya Al-Afeshat & Saif Al-Omari & Tala Amer Qutishat & Ali Brezat & Ali Alkayed, 2023. "Dam Sustainability’s Interdependency with Climate Change and Dam Failure Drivers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Bakhshoodeh, Reza & Ocampo, Carlos & Oldham, Carolyn, 2022. "Thermal performance of green façades: Review and analysis of published data," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    5. Murilo Cruciol-Barbosa & Maria Solange Gurgel de Castro Fontes & Maximiliano dos Anjos Azambuja, 2023. "Experimental Assessment of the Thermal Influence of a Continuous Living Wall in a Subtropical Climate in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Jolanta Janiszewska & Paulina Rajewska, 2025. "Development of a Concept for Closing the Water Cycle in the Surface Treatment of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-15, March.
    7. Pei-Wen Chung & Stephen J. Livesley & John P. Rayner & Claire Farrell, 2021. "Rooting Volume Impacts Growth, Coverage and Thermal Tolerance of Green Façade Climbing Plants," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-13, November.
    8. Jim, C.Y., 2015. "Cold-season solar input and ambivalent thermal behavior brought by climber greenwalls," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(P1), pages 926-938.
    9. Reem F. Alruwaili & Nourah Alsadaan & Abeer Nuwayfi Alruwaili & Afrah Ghazi Alrumayh, 2023. "Unveiling the Symbiosis of Environmental Sustainability and Infection Control in Health Care Settings: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-16, November.
    10. Jon Laurenz & Jone Belausteguigoitia & Ander de la Fuente & Daniel Roehr, 2021. "Green Urban (RE) Generation: A Research and Practice Methodology to Better Implement Green Urban Infrastructure Solutions," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-24, December.
    11. Wang, Zhi-Hua & Zhao, Xiaoxi & Yang, Jiachuan & Song, Jiyun, 2016. "Cooling and energy saving potentials of shade trees and urban lawns in a desert city," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 437-444.
    12. Jim, C.Y., 2014. "Air-conditioning energy consumption due to green roofs with different building thermal insulation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 49-59.
    13. Ascione, Fabrizio & Bianco, Nicola & de’ Rossi, Filippo & Turni, Gianluca & Vanoli, Giuseppe Peter, 2013. "Green roofs in European climates. Are effective solutions for the energy savings in air-conditioning?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 845-859.
    14. Zulmira Ximenes da Costa & Floris Cornelis Boogaard & Valente Ferreira & Satoshi Tamura, 2024. "Wastewater Management Strategy for Resilient Cities—Case Study: Challenges and Opportunities for Planning a Sustainable Timor-Leste," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-29, June.
    15. Khumbelo Mabadahanye & Mwazvita T. B. Dalu & Linton F. Munyai & Farai Dondofema & Tatenda Dalu, 2025. "Perceptions and Knowledge of Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Workers Regarding Plastic Pollution and Removal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-13, January.
    16. Berardi, Umberto & GhaffarianHoseini, AmirHosein & GhaffarianHoseini, Ali, 2014. "State-of-the-art analysis of the environmental benefits of green roofs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 411-428.
    17. Coma, Julià & Chàfer, Marta & Pérez, Gabriel & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2020. "How internal heat loads of buildings affect the effectiveness of vertical greenery systems? An experimental study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 919-930.
    18. Peng, Lilliana L.H. & Jiang, Zhidian & Yang, Xiaoshan & Wang, Qingqing & He, Yunfei & Chen, Sophia Shuang, 2020. "Energy savings of block-scale facade greening for different urban forms," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    19. Carmen García-Castillo & Erandi Maldonado-Villalpando & Luis Seguí-Amórtegui & Hilda Guerrero-García-Rojas, 2024. "Circular Economy, Eco-Innovation and a Business Model for the Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Mexico," Resources, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-15, June.
    20. Saurabh Pandey & Deepti Aggrawal, 2025. "Modeling the enablers for sustainable adoption of water ionizers: an ISM-MICMAC approach," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 16(2), pages 868-882, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:6138-:d:1694623. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.