Performance of Nitrogen-Removing Bioretention Systems for Control of Agricultural Runoff
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 10
Abstract
This research evaluated nitrogen-removing bioretention systems for control of nutrients, organics, and solids in agricultural runoff. Pilot-scale experiments were conducted with bioretention systems incorporating aerobic nitrification and anoxic denitrification zones with sulfur or wood chips as denitrification substrates. Varying hydraulic loading rates (HLRs), influent concentrations, and wetting and drying periods were applied to the units during laboratory and two seasons of field tests with dairy farm runoff. Total N removal efficiencies greater than 88% were observed in both units with synthetic storm water. In first-season field tests, moderate removal efficiencies were observed for chemical oxygen demand (46%), suspended solids (69%), total phosphorous (TP) (66%), and total N (65%). During the second season, operational changes in the farm resulted in lower organic, solids, and nutrient loadings resulting in improved effluent quality, especially for suspended solids (81% removal) and total N (82% removal). The systems were not hydraulically overloaded even at 20 times the normal HLR.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H. The writers would like to thank Mr. Marc Cohen, Sourcewater Protection Specialist with the Atlantic States Rural Water and Wastewater Association, for his assistance in finding an appropriate field site. Two undergraduate researchers, Meghan Krupka and Douglas Walker, also greatly contributed to carrying out the field experiments.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 10 • October 2010
Pages: 1105 - 1112
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Jul 23, 2009
Accepted: Mar 10, 2010
Published online: Mar 12, 2010
Published in print: Oct 2010
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