ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Experimental Study of Nitrogen Removal
Efficiency of Layered Bioretention Under
Intermittent or Continuous Operation
Chunbo Jiang1, Jiake Li1, Huaien Li1, Yajiao Li2
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1State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-Hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area,
Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
2School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology,
Xi’an 710054, China
Submission date: 2016-11-03
Final revision date: 2016-12-09
Acceptance date: 2016-12-12
Online publication date: 2017-05-10
Publication date: 2017-05-26
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2017;26(3):1121-1130
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ABSTRACT
The structural configuration of bioretention plays an important role in the consumption and purification
of nitrogen pollutants in rainfall runoff. Three layered bioretention tanks – 7#, 9#, and 10# – with artificial
packing layers of fly ash mixing sand, blast furnace slag, and planting soil, respectively, were selected for
intermittent and continuous operational tests. All load-reduction rates of nitrogen pollutants for intermittent
running test exceeded 40% in three tanks, and tank 7# showed >70%. Moreover, the effluent pollutant
concentration of 7# increased with time, whereas those of 9# and 10# fluctuated and then decreased slowly.
The correlation model between TN removal and its influencing factors was established using the partial least
regression method. Modeling analysis suggested that the filler type was the most important factor affecting
TN removal. TN removal was positively correlated with packing factor and submerged zone height, while
it was negatively correlated with antecedent dry time and influent loading. Soil pollutant original content
and texture classification were detected before the continuous running test. The percentages of NO3-N and
NH3-N accumulating in three facilities accounted for a total influent load of approximately 77% (7#), 61%
(9#), and 43% (10#) when the exhaustion point was reached, demonstrating the relatively poor performance
of planting soil.