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Effectiveness of bioretention system with saturated zone and different dry–wet alterations on nitrogen removal: performance and microbial community

delete2025-07-21
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PRE
AI
R
Ran Li
B
Binyu Lu
W
Wenwen Liu *
Z
Zebing Li
Y
Yi-Ming Kuo
DOI:10.1007/s10653-025-02637-zdelete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
This study redefines bioretention systems (BRSs) by elucidating how saturated zone (SZ) depths (0‒480 mm) and antecedent dry days (ADDs: 0.5‒4 days) orchestrate microbial-driven nitrogen removal without organic carbon supplementation. Through lab-scale experiments with Pennisetum alopecuroides, we demonstrate that optimized hydrologic-microbial synergy shifts nitrogen elimination from passive filtration to a self-sustaining redox interface. Critically, coupling deeper SZs (> 320 mm) with moderate dry–wet cycles (> 3-day ADDs) activated autotrophic denitrification via Saccharibacteria and Bradyrhizobium, reducing NO3−–N accumulation to 7.59 ± 0.29 mg/L (31.7% removal) while achieving stable NH4+–N removal (> 61.4‒68.8%) across conditions. In contrast, shallow SZs (< 160 mm) disrupted microbial cooperation, favoring incomplete nitrification and nitrate leakage. Proteobacteria dominated functional guilds in optimal SZ scenarios (e.g., 480 mm SZ with 4 ADDs), where total inorganic nitrogen removal surpassed non-saturated systems by 25‒30%, proving carbon-independent pathways. The highest NH4+–N removal (68.8 ± 1.5%) occurred at 160 mm SZ with 2 ADDs, yet sustained efficiency required hydrologic thresholds that stabilized redox gradients. Microbial networks revealed deterministic assembly of nitrifier-denitrifier consortia under controlled hydrology, contrasting the stochasticity in suboptimal designs. These insights establish SZ-ADD-microbe codependencies as a design cornerstone, replacing ad hoc filtration metrics. By prioritizing microbial niche differentiation over soil adsorption, this work resolves the paradox of nitrate pollution in carbon-limited stormwater, offering a mechanistic blueprint for adaptive, carbon–neutral BRSs—a critical advance for eutrophication mitigation.
Keywords:
Bioretention system
Nitrogen
Saturated zone
Dry–wet alteration
Microbial community

Journal

Environmental Geochemistry and Health cover
Environmental Geochemistry and Health
IF:
3.8
Papers:
4.6K
Citations:
1.0W

Organization

D
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Scholars:
17
Papers: 13
Citations: 0
S
School of Water Resources
Scholars:
12
Papers: 4
Citations: 0
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