TY - JOUR
T1 - Development and performance assessment of an integrated vermifiltration based treatment system for the treatment of feedlot runoff
AU - Singh, Rajneesh
AU - D'Alessio, Matteo
AU - Meneses, Yulie
AU - Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon L.
AU - Woodbury, Bryan
AU - Ray, Chittaranjan
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank the i) Nebraska Water Center, ii) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and ii) Department of Agronomy and Horticulture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for providing facilities, workspace, and funds for carrying out this research work. The authors further wish to thank Dr. Bryan L. Woodbury, for facilitating the collection of feedlot runoff from the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, USDA ARS, Clay Center, NE.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - The objective of this study was to treat feedlot runoff by developing an ecologically sustainable, affordable, and resilient treatment system having a relatively long life span. Three horizontal flow soil biofilters were utilized in this study: 1) without earthworms and plants (Biofilter (BF)), 2) with earthworms only (Vermifilter (VF)), and 3) with earthworms and plants (Macrophyte Assisted Vermifilter (MAVF)). The experiments were conducted with a hydraulic retention time of four days using Lumbricus terestrris earthworms and Carex frankii wetland plants. The average COD removal from the BF, VF, and MAVF were 23.2–30.4%, 61.4–69.1%, and 68.3–78.1%, respectively. Average TN removal efficiencies for BF, VF, and MAVF were 15.5–21.4%, 34.4–38.8%, and 39.1–44.0%, respectively. Additionally, average TP removals for BF, VF, and MAVF were 31.9–40.8%, 48.0–54.0%, and 51.1–58.3%, respectively. Comparison of results with literature indicate that the developed system can facilitate more nitrogen removal. Plant roots, along with earthworms, create an aerobic ecosystem within the treatment filter, leading to high organics oxidation and nitrification efficiency among BF, VF, and MAVF. Observational analysis indicates the system with earthworms is prone to clogging while the system with earthworms and plants was less prone to clogging. Thus, it can be concluded that if modularized, the application of MAVF systems can treat feedlot runoffs with higher removal efficiency and expanded life span.
AB - The objective of this study was to treat feedlot runoff by developing an ecologically sustainable, affordable, and resilient treatment system having a relatively long life span. Three horizontal flow soil biofilters were utilized in this study: 1) without earthworms and plants (Biofilter (BF)), 2) with earthworms only (Vermifilter (VF)), and 3) with earthworms and plants (Macrophyte Assisted Vermifilter (MAVF)). The experiments were conducted with a hydraulic retention time of four days using Lumbricus terestrris earthworms and Carex frankii wetland plants. The average COD removal from the BF, VF, and MAVF were 23.2–30.4%, 61.4–69.1%, and 68.3–78.1%, respectively. Average TN removal efficiencies for BF, VF, and MAVF were 15.5–21.4%, 34.4–38.8%, and 39.1–44.0%, respectively. Additionally, average TP removals for BF, VF, and MAVF were 31.9–40.8%, 48.0–54.0%, and 51.1–58.3%, respectively. Comparison of results with literature indicate that the developed system can facilitate more nitrogen removal. Plant roots, along with earthworms, create an aerobic ecosystem within the treatment filter, leading to high organics oxidation and nitrification efficiency among BF, VF, and MAVF. Observational analysis indicates the system with earthworms is prone to clogging while the system with earthworms and plants was less prone to clogging. Thus, it can be concluded that if modularized, the application of MAVF systems can treat feedlot runoffs with higher removal efficiency and expanded life span.
KW - Anoxic ecosystem
KW - Earthworms
KW - Nutrients
KW - Organics
KW - Vermifiltration
KW - Wetland plants
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123355
DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123355
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85089425916
SN - 0959-6526
VL - 278
JO - Journal of Cleaner Production
JF - Journal of Cleaner Production
M1 - 123355
ER -