Denitrification kinetics during aquifer storage and recovery of drainage water from agricultural land

Emiel Kruisdijk; Carina Eisfeld; Pieter J Stuyfzand; Boris M van Breukelen

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157791

Denitrification kinetics during aquifer storage and recovery of drainage water from agricultural land

Sci Total Environ. 2022 Nov 25:849:157791. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157791. Epub 2022 Aug 6.

Authors

Emiel Kruisdijk¹, Carina Eisfeld², Pieter J Stuyfzand³, Boris M van Breukelen²

Affiliations

¹ Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Water Management, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, the Netherlands; Acacia Water B.V., Van Hogendorpplein 4, 2805 BM Gouda, the Netherlands. Electronic address: e.kruisdijk@tudelft.nl.
² Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Water Management, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, the Netherlands.
³ Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Water Management, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, the Netherlands; Stuyfzand Hydroconsult+, 2042 BL Zandvoort, the Netherlands.

PMID: 35940262
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157791

Abstract

An aquifer storage transfer and recovery (ASTR) system was studied in which tile drainage water (TDW) was injected with relatively high NO₃ (about 14 mg/L) concentrations originating from fertilizers. Here we present the evolution of denitrification kinetics at 6 different depths in the aquifer before, and during ASTR operation. First-order denitrification rate constants increased over time before and during the first days of ASTR operation, likely due to microbial adaptation of the native bacterial community and/or bioaugmentation of the aquifer by denitrifying bacteria present in injected TDW. Push-pull tests were performed in the native aquifer before ASTR operation. Obtained first-order denitrification rate constants were negligible (0.00-0.03 d^-1) at the start, but increased to 0.17-0.83 d^-1 after a lag-phase of about 6 days. During the first days of ASTR operation in autumn 2019, the arrival of injected TDW was studied at 2.5 m distance from the injection well. First-order denitrification rate constants increased again over time (maximum >1 d^-1). Three storage periods without injection were monitored in winter 2019, fall 2020, and spring 2021 during ASTR operation. First-order rate constants ranged between 0.12 and 0.61 d^-1. Denitrification coupled to pyrite oxidation occurred at all depths, but other oxidation processes were indicated as well. NO₃ concentration trends resembled Monod kinetics but were fitted also to a first-order decay rate model to facilitate comparison. Rate constants during the storage periods were substantially lower than during injection, probably due to a reduction in the exchange rate between aquifer solid phases and injected water during the stagnant conditions. Denitrification rate constants deviated maximally a factor 5 over time and depth for all in-situ measurement approaches after the lag-phase. The combination of these in-situ approaches enabled to obtain more detailed insights in the evolution of denitrification kinetics during AS(T)R.

Keywords: Agriculture; Aquifer storage and recovery; Bioaugmentation; Denitrification; Managed aquifer recharge; Monitored natural attenuation.

MeSH terms

Denitrification
Factor V
Fertilizers
Groundwater* / microbiology
Kinetics
Nitrates / analysis
Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Fertilizers
Nitrates
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Water
Factor V