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Updated: Aug 10, 2025

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Nitrogen transfer and transformation in bioretention cells under low temperature conditions
Jiajia Zhou1, Jiaqing Xiong1, Junjie Ni1
1Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Yan Ta Road, No. 13, Xi'an 710055, China.
Abstract:
The nitrogen removal effect of traditional bioretention cells is generally poor under low temperature conditions, with significant levels of fluctuation and leaching often reported. Therefore, the migration characteristics of nitrogen were explored in bioretention cells under low temperature conditions, with the aim of improving the nitrogen removal effect. Four groups of modified collapsible loess bioretention cells were constructed and operated at 1, 5, 10 and 25 °C. The nitrogen removal effect of the cells was determined at different temperatures and the nitrogen migration and transformation characteristics under low temperature conditions were discussed. Experimental results showed that during the rainfall period, the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency remained similar at different temperatures (above 97 %), while the nitrate nitrogen removal efficiency varied significantly at 1, 5, 10 and 25 °C, from 28.15 %-65.22 %, 96.68 %-98.8 %, 96.75 %-98.88 % and 80.14 %-96.72 %, respectively. In addition, nitrate nitrogen accumulation occurred in the filler during rainfall events, with lower temperature conditions increasing the final concentration of nitrate nitrogen accumulated. Following a rainfall event, the content of nitrate nitrogen in the filler decreased significantly over a 60 h dry period. However, the nitrate nitrogen reduction rate was significantly lower under low temperature conditions, than at 25 °C. Overall, low temperature conditions had a negative effect on the accumulation of nitrate nitrogen in the filler during rainfall events, as well as the transformation and migration of nitrate nitrogen within the filler during drought periods, with the adverse effects most significant at temperatures lower than 5 °C.
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