ABSTRACT
Iron is a common constituent of municipal landfill leachate, which, when exposed to oxygenated aquatic environments, settles out of the water column to form a thick floc on the underlying sediment layer. This transformation can occur in treatment wetlands, and attention should be paid to the effects of chronically high iron concentrations on treatment efficiency and sustainability. The main focus of this review is benthic invertebrates as important components of treatment wetlando, and how they are affected by excessively high iron concentrations. The significance of ferrous iron (Fe2+) is briefly discussed, with an emphasis on the effects of ferric hydroxide (Fe(OH)3) flocs on individual species and ecosystem health in general.
