Emily Bock

Enhanced Nitrate and Phosphate Removal in a Denitrifying Bioreactor with Biochar

Denitrifying bioreactors (DNBRs) are an emerging technology used to remove nitrate-nitrogen (NO) from enriched waters by supporting denitrifying microorganisms with organic carbon in an anaerobic environment. Field-scale investigations have established successful removal of NO from agricultural drainage, but the potential for DNBRs to remediate excess phosphorus (P) exported from agricultural systems has not been addressed. We hypothesized that biochar addition to traditional woodchip DNBRs would enhance NO and P removal and reduce nitrous oxide (NO) emissions based on previous research demonstrating reduced leaching of NO and P and lower greenhouse gas production associated with biochar amendment of agricultural soils. Nine laboratory-scale DNBRs, a woodchip control, and eight different woodchip-biochar treatments were used to test the effect of biochar on nutrient removal. The biochar treatments constituted a full factorial design of three factors (biochar source material [feedstock], particle size, and application rate), each with two levels. Statistical analysis by repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant effect of biochar, time, and their interaction on NO and dissolved P removal. Average P removal of 65% was observed in the biochar treatments by 18 h, after which the concentrations remained stable, compared with an 8% increase in the control after 72 h. Biochar addition resulted in average NO removal of 86% after 18 h and 97% after 72 h, compared with only 13% at 18 h and 75% at 72 h in the control. Biochar addition also resulted in significantly lower NO production. These results suggest that biochar can reduce the design residence time by enhancing nutrient removal rates.

Effect of Biochar on Nitrate Removal in a Pilot-Scale Denitrifying Bioreactor

Denitrifying bioreactors (DNBRs) harness the natural capacity of microorganisms to convert bioavailable nitrogen (N) into inert nitrogen gas (N) by providing a suitable anaerobic habitat and an organic carbon energy source. Woodchip systems are reported to remove 2 to 22 g N m d, but the potential to enhance denitrification with alternative substrates holds promise. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of adding biochar, an organic carbon pyrolysis product, to an in-field, pilot-scale woodchip DNBR. Two 25-m DNBRs, one with woodchips and the other with woodchips and a 10% by volume addition of biochar, were installed on the Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia. Performance was assessed using flood-and-drain batch experiments. An initial release of N was observed during the establishment of both DNBRs, reflecting a start-up phenomenon observed in previous studies. Nitrate (NO-N) removal rates observed during nine batch experiments 4 to 22 mo after installation were 0.25 to 6.06 g N m d. The presence of biochar, temperature, and influent NO-N concentration were found to have significant effects on NO-N removal rates using a linear mixed effects model. The model predicts that biochar increases the rate of N removal when influent concentrations are above approximately 5 to 10 mg L NO-N but that woodchip DNBRs outperform biochar-amended DNBRs when influent concentrations are lower, possibly reflecting the release of N temporarily stored in the biochar matrix. These results indicate that in high N-yielding systems the addition of biochar to standard woodchip DNBRs has the potential to significantly increase N removal.

Nutrient biofilters in the Virginia Coastal Plain: Nitrogen removal, cost, and potential adoption pathways

Excess nonpoint source nutrient loss presents one of the most vexing water management challenges for water quality managers. Agriculture is the single largest contributor of nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay, and achieving nutrient reduction targets for agriculture will be costly. Biofilters offer new opportunities to reduce nutrient loads from artificially drained agricultural land. Nutrient biofilters consist of organic carbon (C) medium, typically woodchips, that when saturated with nitrogen (N)-enriched waters supports the activity of naturally occurring soil microorganisms that convert bioavailable N into N gases via denitrification. This study estimates the cost and N removal effectiveness for a biochar-amended woodchip biofilter draining a 10 ha (25 ac) field planted in a corn (Zea mays L.)–soy (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) rotation in eastern Virginia as well as for alternative design scenarios for biofilters ranging 25 to 150 m3 (883 to 5,297 ft3) with either woodchips alone or biochar-amended woodchip C substrates. Nitrogen removal effectiveness is estimated using modeled site-specific influent loads and N removal effectiveness estimates derived from experimental trials in a pilot scale system on the Delmarva Peninsula. This analysis estimates N removal costs as a function of biofilter size, which directly relates to residence time, per unit of N removed. Modeled N removal estimates over a five-year period (2009 to 2013) for five bed volumes range from 88 to 391 kg (194 to 862 lb) for the woodchip biofilters (21% to 95% removal) and 132 to 412 kg (291 to 908 lb) for the biochar-amended woodchip biofilters (32% to 100% removal) of the 412 kg total N load exported to the biofilters during the five-year period. The N removal costs range from US

Performance of an under-loaded denitrifying bioreactor with biochar amendment

15 to US

Development of a nitrous oxide routine for the SWAT model to assess greenhouse gas emissions from agroecosystems

48 kg−1 y−1 (US

Mitigation of sulfate reduction and nitrous oxide emission in denitrifying environments with amorphous iron oxide and biochar.

6.82 to US

Enhanced Denitrification Bioreactors Hold Promise for Mid-Atlantic Ditch Drainage

21.82 lb−1 yr−1) for the woodchip biofilter and US

Effect of biochar, hydraulic residence time, and nutrient loading on greenhouse gas emission in laboratory-scale denitrifying bioreactors

15 to US

Factors When Considering an Agricultural Drainage System

33 kg−1 y−1 (US

Soil and Soil Water Relationships

6.82 to US