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Abiotic nitrogen removal mechanisms in rapid infiltration wastewater treatment systems
Mark R. Matsumoto, University of California, Riverside
Technical Completion Report W-952
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ABSTRACT: The rapid infiltration (RI) land treatment process is a reliable, cost effective method for
secondary and/or tertiary treatment of municipal wastewaters. When properly designed
and operated, RI systems can achieve a significant level of nitrogen removal via coupled
biological processes, namely nitrification-denitrification. Generally, it is believed that
lower overall nitrogen levels can be achieved when influent wastewater is fully nitrified.
However, at a specific RI facility located in Colton, CA higher nitrogen removals were
observed when non-nitrified influent wastewaters were introduced. As a result, it was
first hypothesized that an abiotic mechanism, ammonium adsorption, to the soils was
occurring. This hypothesis, led to the conduct of an initial effort to evaluate the sorptive
phenomenon that was occurring at this site. As a result of that initial effort, it was
determined that ammonium adsorption was not occurring and that no nitrogen removal
was observed under abiotic (sterile) conditions. Nitrogen removal was observed only
under biotic conditions.
Subsequent to that initial effort, a second study was conducted in an effort to confirm and
better understand the biological nitrogen removal mechanisms that are occurring at the
Colton RI facility. In addition, experiments were conducted to evaluate whether nitrogen
removal could be enhanced at the facility via organic carbon amendment to the influent
wastewater. For design purposes, a 2:1 mass ratio of organic carbon to nitrogen is
recommended for nitrogen removal in RI systems. The normal organic carbon to
nitrogen ratio at the Colton RI facility is 1:3, highly organic carbon deficient.
Experimental systems were amended with additional organic carbon in the form of
methanol. Additional organic carbon in the Colton RI facility influent water may
improve the denitrification rate within some portions of the soil column.
SUGGESTED CITATION:
Mark R. Matsumoto,
"Abiotic nitrogen removal mechanisms in rapid infiltration wastewater treatment systems"
(July 1, 2004).
University of California Water Resources Center.
Technical Completion Reports.
Paper matsumoto.
http://repositories.cdlib.org/wrc/tcr/matsumoto
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