Effective removal of bromate in nitrate-reducing anoxic zones during managed aquifer recharge for drinking water treatment

Laboratoryscale simulations

Journal Article (2017)
Author(s)

F Wang (TU Delft - Sanitary Engineering)

Doris van Halem (TU Delft - Sanitary Engineering)

Lei Ding (TU Delft - Sanitary Engineering, Anhui University of Technology)

Y. Bai (TU Delft - Sanitary Engineering, Nanjing University)

K Teunissen (Dunea)

J.P. Hoek (Nanjing University, TU Delft - Sanitary Engineering)

Research Group
Sanitary Engineering
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.11.052
More Info
expand_more
Publication Year
2017
Language
English
Research Group
Sanitary Engineering
Volume number
130
Pages (from-to)
88–97

Abstract

The removal of bromate (BrO3−) as a by-product of ozonation in subsequent managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems, specifically in anoxic nitrate (NO3−)-reducing zones, has so far gained little attention. In this study, batch reactors and columns were used to explore the influence of NO3− and increased assimilable organic carbon (AOC) due to ozonation pre-treatment on BrO3− removal in MAR systems. 8 m column experiments were carried out for 10 months to investigate BrO3− behavior in anoxic NO3−-reducing zones of MAR systems. Anoxic batch experiments showed that an increase of AOC promoted microbial activity and corresponding BrO3− removal. A drastic increase of BrO3− biodegradation was observed in the sudden absence of NO3− in both batch reactors and columns, indicating that BrO3− and NO3− competed for biodegradation by denitrifying bacteria and NO3− was preferred as an electron acceptor under the simultaneous presence of NO3− and BrO3−. However, within 75 days’ absence of NO3− in the anoxic column, BrO3− removal gradually decreased, indicating that the presence of NO3− is a precondition for denitrifying bacteria to reduce BrO3− in NO3−-reducing anoxic zones. In the 8 m anoxic column set-up (retention time 6 days), the BrO3− removal achieved levels as low as 1.3 μg/L, starting at 60 μg/L (98% removal). Taken together, BrO3− removal is likely to occur in vicinity of NO3−-reducing anoxic zones, so MAR systems following ozonation are potentially effective to remove BrO3−.

No files available

Metadata only record. There are no files for this record.