OCETA ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY PROFILES
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AMMONIUM NITRATE REMOVAL WITH FLOATING CATTAIL MATS CAT. #03-021 / 04-016 / 10-005 |
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PROCESS/ PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION:
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Wastewaters with high nutrient content, such as mining effluent ponds and farm runoff, undergo a biologically mediated nitrification process, leading to high levels of ammonium nitrate. Nitrate loading to nearby lakes, streams, and groundwater can occur as a result of contaminated runoff and/ or proximity to retention ponds high in nitrogen content. In nitrate-rich surface waters, populations of bacteria and algae thrive and deplete the waters of oxygen vital to fish and other aquatic life. Nitrates are extremely persistent, as natural degradation processes are very slow. Floating cattail mats are capable of rapidly metabolizing high levels of ammonium nitrates and |  Figure 1: Enhanced Growth of a Floating Cattail Mat in a Contolled Greenhouse Environment |
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| are, therefore, useful in managing nitrogen removal. Mikro-Tek Inc. has developed a process to enhance the growth rates of cattail mats in a controlled greenhouse environment over | a short time span. This accelerated growth provides mature, floating cattail mats, which can be deployed into retention ponds in the same season to provide rapid denitrification. | ||
This profile
was made possible through financial support provided by FedNor
PROCESS/ PRODUCT
APPLICATION:
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Floating cattail mats can be used for ammonium nitrate removal in industrial, commercial, and municipal applications. Because cattails can thrive under basic or acidic pH levels, they are suitable for use in retention ponds used for mine tailings containment, municipal waste water treatment (sewage), storm water runoff, farming, food processing, and golf courses. Whereas conventional methods require multiple growing seasons to establish a cattail mat, Mikro-Tek's accelerated growth of floating cattail mats allows deployment in one season, even in northern climatic conditions. |  Figure 2: Initial Accelerated Growth Phase |
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| For mining applications, tests have shown that cattail mats also have the ability to reduce concentrations of nickel and arsenic. Treatment | systems designed to handle total effluent compliance can be designed based on pilot studies at a given site. | |||
PROCESS/
PRODUCT OPERATION:
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Using a controlled greenhouse environment, Mikro-Tek has been able to rapidly produce a self-buoyant cattail mat, which can be transported and placed into an effluent pond within one growing season. The most efficient method of producing cattail mats for site specific ammonium nitrate removal is to conduct the initial accelerated growth stage of the cattail mats in a greenhouse facility on, or adjacent to, the treatment site. This allows the mats to be acclimatized to the receiving water and facilitates transportation of the mature mat to the effluent pond. Once deployed, the floating cattail mats act as sites for aerobic nitrogen removal. The process is a form of biofiltration which, through evapo-transpiration, releases the nitrate as nitrogen gas. | Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the accelerated initial growth stage. To document the rates at which NH4-N, nickel, and arsenic were removed, preliminary lab-scale tests using tap water spiked with varying levels of ammonium nitrate fertilizer (up to 40 mg/L). These tests showed total removal of nitrates after eight days while control tank levels remained unchanged. Subsequent lab tests were conducted on a larger scale using mine effluent high in nickel, arsenic, and nitrate. These tests showed an 83% reduction in nickel content and a 23% reduction in arsenic content. Levels of NH4-N were initially higher due to nutrients released by the growing material. However, these results stabilized and were reduced as denitrification | commenced due to carbon input above the root zone. The 1m2 cattail mat, grown at an accelerated rate, was then transported to a mine tailings pond for further testing, once the root system had reached a level of stability that would allow the mat to remain buoyant. A floating containment liner was used to isolate a testing area with approximately 1.0 m3 of effluent surrounding the floating mat. Effluent samples were taken weekly and analyzed for NH4-N and arsenic. During the first 10 days of testing NH4-N levels dropped 94.08%. Figure 3 illustrates the NH4-N levels against the control levels of the effluent pond. Over the complete 34-day testing period, arsenic levels were reduced by 36.6%. Figure 4 plots arsenic levels within the treatment area. |
 Figure 3: NH4-N Reduction - Tailings Pond Trial |
 Figure 4: Arsenic Reduction - Tailings Pond Trial |
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| VENDOR INFORMATION: Mikro-Tek Inc. |
Founded in 1990, Mikro-Tek is a biotechnology firm that provides environmental products and services. In addition to the accelerated growth system for floating cattail mats, Mikro-Tek has a line of products that provide naturally occurring microorganisms for | application in agriculture, reforestation, mine site reclamation, and site remediation. These biological products improve the health of plants, thereby enhancing survival and early-stage growth, while reducing the need for chemical additives. | The company maintains a culture bank of microbes for use in diverse geographic and site conditions. The living organisms are provided in a proprietary format called Mikro-BeadsŪ, which ensure ease of shipping, storage and application on the target sites. |
This document was originally published July, 1999. It is best viewed with the font Times, size 12. While OCETA has reviewed this product/process with the Vendor and conducted limited independent investigation, OCETA assumes no responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the information. |
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