Extensive technology used for the nitrates removal from agricultural runoffs in Czech Republic

Extensive technology used for the nitrates removal from agricultural runoffs in Czech Republic

en

The article stated a new and in the Czech Republic as yet unknown technology "denitrifying bioreactors”. This technology is designed to remove nitrates from agricultural areas. Within our research project, we test this technology first in the laboratory conditions. The input and boundary conditions correspond with the environment in Central Europe. We are looking for the optimal configuration including technical and economic parameters. The introduction of new technology in agricultural practice can significantly reduce the load surface water and groundwater by nitrates. Thus, it is possible to protect directly sources of drinking water, or prevent the eutrophication of water reservoirs. The technology is currently used mainly in the USA and Canada. It was developed to reduce nitrate levels in the effluent from "septic + nitrification filter + infiltration object" systems in 90s. Denitrifying bioreactors are to be used to remove nitrates from groundwater in New Zealand. The bioreactor principle is a filtration of water with increased nitrate content through a suitable organic substrate. An organic material used serves as a medium, as well as carbon and energy source for growing facultative anaerobic microbial organisms. It also provides a suitable anoxic condition for the nitrate denitrification. Thus, the water with a reduced content of nutrients flows into the stream and the potential risk of eutrophication is reduced. Providing the water without the nitrate nitrogen flows into groundwater, there are no health problems if is this water used for drinking purposes. Featured Technology has many advantages: low investment cost, long life, low operating and maintenance costs, while requiring a small using of arable land, which is not also impaired for future agricultural use. Laboratory research is focused on the initial operational problems, which are published only marginally. In our opinion, the most significant problem seems to be especially in the startup phase. During the startup, high concentrations of organic compounds and ammonia or organic nitrogen are extracted. The worst material showed outflow concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) = 6243 mg/L, biological oxygen demand (BOD) = 1362 mg/L and nitrogen (NH4-N) = 71.2 mg/L. Therefore, it is excluded in a next period for application in a pilot plant. We are still looking for the optimal composition of the substrate and technological parameters of the process.

The article stated a new and in the Czech Republic as yet unknown technology "denitrifying bioreactors”. This technology is designed to remove nitrates from agricultural areas. Within our research project, we test this technology first in the laboratory conditions. The input and boundary conditions correspond with the environment in Central Europe. We are looking for the optimal configuration including technical and economic parameters. The introduction of new technology in agricultural practice can significantly reduce the load surface water and groundwater by nitrates. Thus, it is possible to protect directly sources of drinking water, or prevent the eutrophication of water reservoirs. The technology is currently used mainly in the USA and Canada. It was developed to reduce nitrate levels in the effluent from "septic + nitrification filter + infiltration object" systems in 90s. Denitrifying bioreactors are to be used to remove nitrates from groundwater in New Zealand. The bioreactor principle is a filtration of water with increased nitrate content through a suitable organic substrate. An organic material used serves as a medium, as well as carbon and energy source for growing facultative anaerobic microbial organisms. It also provides a suitable anoxic condition for the nitrate denitrification. Thus, the water with a reduced content of nutrients flows into the stream and the potential risk of eutrophication is reduced. Providing the water without the nitrate nitrogen flows into groundwater, there are no health problems if is this water used for drinking purposes. Featured Technology has many advantages: low investment cost, long life, low operating and maintenance costs, while requiring a small using of arable land, which is not also impaired for future agricultural use. Laboratory research is focused on the initial operational problems, which are published only marginally. In our opinion, the most significant problem seems to be especially in the startup phase. During the startup, high concentrations of organic compounds and ammonia or organic nitrogen are extracted. The worst material showed outflow concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) = 6243 mg/L, biological oxygen demand (BOD) = 1362 mg/L and nitrogen (NH4-N) = 71.2 mg/L. Therefore, it is excluded in a next period for application in a pilot plant. We are still looking for the optimal composition of the substrate and technological parameters of the process.