Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Estimating Sediment Denitrification Rates Using Cores and N2O Microsensors
Published on: December 6, 2018
Biological groundwater denitrification systems: Lab-scale trials aimed at nitrous oxide production and emission
Marco Capodici1, Alessia Avona1, Vito Armando Laudicina2
1Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, Aerospaziale, dei Materiali, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 8, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
Abstract:
Bio-trenches are a sustainable option for treating nitrate contamination in groundwater. However, a possible side effect of this technology is the production of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that can be found both dissolved in the liquid effluent as well as emitted as off gas. The aim of this study was to analyze NO3- removal and N2O production in lab-scale column trials. The column contained olive nut as organic carbon media. The experimental study was divided into three phases (I, II and III) each characterized by different inlet NO3- concentrations (30, 50, 75mgNO3-NL-1 respectively). Sampling ports deployed along the length of the column allowed to observe the denitrification process as well as the formation and consumption of intermediate products, such as nitrite (NO2-) and nitrous oxide (N2O). In particular, it was observed that N2O production represent only a small fraction of removed NO3- during Phase I and II, both for dissolved (0.007%) and emitted (0.003%) phase, and it was recorded a high denitrification efficiency, over 99%. Nevertheless, significantly higher values were recorded for Phase 3 concerning emitted phase (0.018%). This fact is due to increased inlet concentration which resulted in a carbon limitation and in a consequent decrease in denitrification efficiency (76%).
Related Concept Videos
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Lab
What is Conservation Biology?
Aims Of Nursing
Drug Products: Biologics, Biosimilars and Interchangeables
Emission Spectra
Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carbon-Containing Systems
Oxidation reactions are fundamental in aromatic carbon-containing systems. An example is the hydroxylation of phenobarbital, a process that transforms it into...

