Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch Flows
Treatment of nitrate loads by denitrifying bioreactors in centralized drainage ditches that receive subsurface tile drainage may offer a more effective alternative to end-of-pipe bioreactors. A paired denitrifying bioreactor design, consisting of an in-ditch bioreactor (18.3 × 2.1 × 0.2 m) treating...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/1/56 |
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| author | Bryan Maxwell Laura Christianson Richard A. C. Cooke Mary Foltz Niranga Wickramarathne Ronnie Chacon Reid Christianson |
| author_facet | Bryan Maxwell Laura Christianson Richard A. C. Cooke Mary Foltz Niranga Wickramarathne Ronnie Chacon Reid Christianson |
| author_sort | Bryan Maxwell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Treatment of nitrate loads by denitrifying bioreactors in centralized drainage ditches that receive subsurface tile drainage may offer a more effective alternative to end-of-pipe bioreactors. A paired denitrifying bioreactor design, consisting of an in-ditch bioreactor (18.3 × 2.1 × 0.2 m) treating ditch base flow and a diversion bioreactor (4.6 × 9.1 × 0.9 m) designed to treat high-flow events, was designed and constructed in an agricultural watershed (3.2 km<sup>2</sup> drainage area) in Illinois, USA. Flow and water chemistry were monitored for three years and the woodchip and bioreactor-associated soil were analyzed for denitrification potential and chemical properties after 25 months. The in-ditch bioreactor did not significantly reduce nitrate concentrations in the ditch, likely due to low hydraulic connectivity with stream water and sedimentation. The diversion bioreactor significantly reduced nitrate concentrations (58% average reduction) but treated only ~2% of annual ditch flow. Denitrification potential was significantly higher in the in-ditch bioreactor woodchips versus the diversion bioreactor after 25 months (2950 ± 580 vs. 620 ± 310 ng N g<sup>−1</sup> dry media h<sup>−1</sup>). The passive flow design was simple to construct and did not restrict flow in the drainage ditch but resulted in low hydraulic exchange, limiting nitrate removal. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:12:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3f3f5d986c464633b29be2b0f676e783 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:12:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-3f3f5d986c464633b29be2b0f676e7832023-11-23T12:32:10ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-12-011415610.3390/w14010056Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch FlowsBryan Maxwell0Laura Christianson1Richard A. C. Cooke2Mary Foltz3Niranga Wickramarathne4Ronnie Chacon5Reid Christianson6Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, AW-101 Turner Hall, MC-046, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801-4730, USADepartment of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, AW-101 Turner Hall, MC-046, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801-4730, USADepartment of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801-4713, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801-2350, USADepartment of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, AW-101 Turner Hall, MC-046, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801-4730, USADepartment of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, AW-101 Turner Hall, MC-046, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801-4730, USADepartment of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, AW-101 Turner Hall, MC-046, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801-4730, USATreatment of nitrate loads by denitrifying bioreactors in centralized drainage ditches that receive subsurface tile drainage may offer a more effective alternative to end-of-pipe bioreactors. A paired denitrifying bioreactor design, consisting of an in-ditch bioreactor (18.3 × 2.1 × 0.2 m) treating ditch base flow and a diversion bioreactor (4.6 × 9.1 × 0.9 m) designed to treat high-flow events, was designed and constructed in an agricultural watershed (3.2 km<sup>2</sup> drainage area) in Illinois, USA. Flow and water chemistry were monitored for three years and the woodchip and bioreactor-associated soil were analyzed for denitrification potential and chemical properties after 25 months. The in-ditch bioreactor did not significantly reduce nitrate concentrations in the ditch, likely due to low hydraulic connectivity with stream water and sedimentation. The diversion bioreactor significantly reduced nitrate concentrations (58% average reduction) but treated only ~2% of annual ditch flow. Denitrification potential was significantly higher in the in-ditch bioreactor woodchips versus the diversion bioreactor after 25 months (2950 ± 580 vs. 620 ± 310 ng N g<sup>−1</sup> dry media h<sup>−1</sup>). The passive flow design was simple to construct and did not restrict flow in the drainage ditch but resulted in low hydraulic exchange, limiting nitrate removal.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/1/56passive treatmentdenitrification potentialdrainage ditchcarbonwater qualityecological engineering |
| spellingShingle | Bryan Maxwell Laura Christianson Richard A. C. Cooke Mary Foltz Niranga Wickramarathne Ronnie Chacon Reid Christianson Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch Flows Water passive treatment denitrification potential drainage ditch carbon water quality ecological engineering |
| title | Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch Flows |
| title_full | Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch Flows |
| title_fullStr | Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch Flows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch Flows |
| title_short | Nitrate Removal and Woodchip Properties across a Paired Denitrifying Bioreactor Treating Centralized Agricultural Ditch Flows |
| title_sort | nitrate removal and woodchip properties across a paired denitrifying bioreactor treating centralized agricultural ditch flows |
| topic | passive treatment denitrification potential drainage ditch carbon water quality ecological engineering |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/1/56 |
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