Journal article
Use Alkalinity Monitoring to Optimize Bioreactor Performance
Journal of environmental quality, Vol.45(3), pp.855-865
05/01/2016
DOI: 10.2134/jeq2015.06.0309
PMID: 27136151
Abstract
In recent years, the agricultural community has reduced flow of nitrogen from farmed landscapes to stream networks through the use of woodchip denitrification bioreactors. Although deployment of this practice is becoming more common to treat high-nitrate water from agricultural drainage pipes, information about bioreactor management strategies is sparse. This study focuses on the use of water monitoring, and especially the use of alkalinity monitoring, in five Iowa woodchip bioreactors to provide insights into and to help manage bioreactor chemistry in ways that will produce desirable outcomes. Results reported here for the five bioreactors show average annual nitrate load reductions between 50 and 80%, which is acceptable according to established practice standards. Alkalinity data, however, imply that nitrous oxide formation may have regularly occurred in at least three of the bioreactors that are considered to be closed systems. Nitrous oxide measurements of influent and effluent water provide evidence that alkalinity may be an important indicator of bioreactor performance. Bioreactor chemistry can be managed by manipulation of water throughput in ways that produce adequate nitrate removal while preventing undesirable side effects. We conclude that (i) water should be retained for longer periods of time in bioreactors where nitrous oxide formation is indicated, (ii) measuring only nitrate and sulfate concentrations is insufficient for proper bioreactor operation, and (iii) alkalinity monitoring should be implemented into protocols for bioreactor management.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Use Alkalinity Monitoring to Optimize Bioreactor Performance
- Creators
- Christopher S. Jones - University of IowaKeegan J. Kult - Iowa Soybean Association
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of environmental quality, Vol.45(3), pp.855-865
- Publisher
- Wiley
- DOI
- 10.2134/jeq2015.06.0309
- PMID
- 27136151
- ISSN
- 0047-2425
- eISSN
- 1537-2537
- Number of pages
- 11
- Grant note
- 69-3A75-11-190 / USDA-NRCS; United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) C5-52718-00 / Iowa Nutrient Research Center University of Iowa, IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering soybean checkoff through the Iowa Soybean Association
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/01/2016
- Academic Unit
- IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984752859102771
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