Grantee Research Project Results
Development of a Novel Bioreactor and Biochar-Sorption-Channel (B2) Treatment System to Capture and Recover Nutrients from Tile Drainage
EPA Grant Number: R840088Title: Development of a Novel Bioreactor and Biochar-Sorption-Channel (B2) Treatment System to Capture and Recover Nutrients from Tile Drainage
Investigators: Zheng, Wei , Cooke, Richard , Guzman, Jorge , Sharma, Brajendra , Oladeji, Olawale
Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
EPA Project Officer: Ludwig-Monty, Sarah
Project Period: September 1, 2020 through May 12, 2025
Project Amount: $999,377
RFA: Approaches to Reduce Nutrient Loadings for Harmful Algal Blooms Management (2020) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Harmful Algal Blooms , Clean Water , Water Quality , Water
Description:
Agricultural subsurface drainage is a widely adopted water management practice in the Midwestern United States. However, tile drainage systems can deliver large quantities of nutrients from agricultural fields to receiving watersheds. The project objectives are to develop and scale up an innovative bioreactor and biochar-sorption-channel (B2) treatment system (Figure 1) to effectively capture nutrients from subsurface drainage water, recycle nutrient-captured biochars as a slow-release fertilizer, and keep nutrients in the closed agricultural loop. To achieve the proposed objectives, a series of laboratory and field tasks will be performed: (i) conduct laboratory experiments to produce designer biochars by pyrolysis of biomass pretreated with lime sludge, evaluate their sorption capacities on nutrients, and optimize biochar production conditions; (ii) develop an innovative B2 nutrient treatment system by integrating refillable biochar-sorption-channels with woodchip bioreactors; (iii) demonstrate the novel B2 treatment system to comprehensively reduce the losses of both nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients by conducting field trials; (iv) evaluate the new B2 nutrient treatment system by conducting a scale-up field study; and (v) apply nutrient-captured biochars as a slow-release fertilizer to recover nutrients and improve soil fertility. The successful completion of this project will offer an innovative, feasible, and cost-effective practice to mitigate the loading of excess nutrients into watersheds from agricultural fields, improve water quality, and thereby diminish the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Figure 1
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 7 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 6 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Bioreactor, designer biochar, nutrients, capture, recover, tile drainage.Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.