Evaluation of pilot-scale biochar-amended woodchip bioreactors to remove nitrate, metals, and trace organic contaminants from urban stormwater runoff

Biochar-augmented biofilters to improve pollutant removal from stormwater – can they improve receiving water quality?

“…While it remains unclear if TOrC removal can be maintained over this duration, several studies have predicted that TOrC removal can be maintained for over 10 years if biodegradation can contribute to TOrC removal in well-designed systems. 60,61,136 Considering the breakthrough results ( Fig. 5) and the sizing and operational assumptions from Ulrich et al, 67 expected exhaustion times for systems with high temperature woodbased biochars could range from about five months (for biochar A, pyrolysis at 600°C) to over seven years (for biochar B, gasification).…”

Hydrophilic trace organic contaminants in urban stormwater: occurrence, toxicological relevance, and the need to enhance green stormwater infrastructure

“…185 Biochar has recently received increased attention as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to activated carbon for the treatment of wastewater and stormwater. [186][187][188][189][190][191][192][193] The adsorption of hyphil-TrOCs onto biochar is mainly driven by diffusion into char pores. The presence of polar functional groups at the edges of the graphene-like layers facilitate electrostatic interactions and other forces (e.g., van der Waals and H-bonding).…”

“…[196][197][198][199][200][201] Numerous studies investigated sorption of hyphil-TrOCs on activated carbon and biochar in controlled laboratory batch experiments. 191,194,202,203 Ulrich et al 202 compared activated carbon and 18 different types of biochars in terms of their performance to remove hyphil-TrOCs (atrazine, benzotriazole, 2,4-D, diuron, fipronil, oryzalin, prometon, and TCPP) from synthetic stormwater. While activated carbon best removed hyphil-TrOCs, several biochars were also effective in sorbing these compounds (i.e., logarithmic solid-water distribution coefficients mostly ranged from 4 to 7 L kg −1 ).…”

“…202 Biochar-amended stormwater infiltration basins or biofilters have been simulated in column experiments to study the fate of hyphil-TrOCs under controlled flow regimes. 191,192,202,204 Ulrich et al 202 filled columns of 15 cm length with sandactivated carbon or sandbiochar mixtures, equilibrated the filter materials over night with synthetic stormwater, and spiked the columns for four days with a mixture of hyphil-TrOCs including prometon, atrazine, TCPP, benzotriazole, and diuron. Breakthrough of all compounds was observed within less than 500 pore volumes, except diuron which was efficiently retained.…”

Co-Design of Engineered Hyporheic Zones to Improve In-Stream Stormwater Treatment and Facilitate Regulatory Approval

“…Ashoori et al [55] found that additions of biochar geomedia can improve water quality performance without increasing media replacement intervals.…”