Laboratory study on stormwater biofiltration: Nutrient and sediment removal in cold temperatures

Stormwater biofilters have the ability to remove nutrients from stormwater. Reliable pollutant removal during the cold season is particularly important due to the comparably high contamination levels. However, the removal performance might be negatively affected by low temperatures. A biofilter column study was conducted in thermostat-controlled climate rooms (at 2, 7 and 20 °C) to investigate the effect of low temperatures on nutrient removal. Phosphorus and suspended solids removal were significantly correlated and consistently very high (typically in excess of 90% and 95%, respectively, at all temperatures). This is important for the successful implementation of biofilters in cold climates since phosphorus is commonly of principal concern, often being the limiting factor for eutrophication in freshwater ecosystems. Unfortunately, nitrogen removal was poor and leaching was shown, which increased with temperature. The increasing nitrate–nitrogen production rates with temperature were well described by the Arrhenius relationship with temperature coefficients Q10 in the range which is typically used to describe temperature effects on nitrification. Thus, temperature effects have to be considered when nitrogen removal is targeted and the biofilter might be exposed to cold temperatures.