Nitrogen transformation in a denitrification layer irrigated with dairy factory effluent

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dc.contributor.authorMcGill, Alexandra
dc.contributor.authorSchipper, Louis A.
dc.coverage.spatialEnglanden_NZ
dc.date.accessioned2013-11-25T03:57:06Z
dc.date.available2013-11-25T03:57:06Z
dc.date.copyright2008-05
dc.date.issued2008
dc.description.abstractAdoption of land-based effluent treatment systems can be constrained by the costs and availability of land. Sufficient land area is needed to ensure nitrate leaching from applied effluent is minimised. One approach to decrease required land area is to enhance N removal by denitrification. Layers of organic matter (100 mm thick) were installed below topsoil of a site irrigated with dairy factory effluent. These “denitrification” layers were tested to determine whether they could decrease nitrate leaching by increasing denitrification. Four plots (10×10 m2 each) were constructed with a denitrification layer installed at 300 mm below the surface, and N losses were measured in leachate using suction cups every 3 weeks for 19 months. N in leachate was compared with 4 control plots. Denitrifying enzyme activity, nitrate concentrations, and carbon availability were measured in samples collected from the denitrification layers. These measurements demonstrated that denitrification occurred in the layer; however, denitrification rates were not sufficiently high to significantly decrease nitrate leaching. Total N leaching was 296 kg N ha⁻¹ from control plots and 238 kg N ha⁻¹ from plots with denitrification layers; a total of 798 kg N ha⁻¹ was applied in effluent. More than 50% of the leached N to 40 cm was as organic N, presumably due to bypass flow. Other studies have demonstrated that thicker denitrification layers (more than 300 mm) can reduce nitrate leaching from small-scale septic tank drainage fields but this study suggests that it is probably not practical to use denitrification layers at larger scales.en_NZ
dc.identifier.citationMcGill, A., & Schipper, L. A. (2008). Nitrogen transformation in a denitrification layer irrigated with dairy factory effluent. Water Research, 42(10-11), 2457-2464.en_NZ
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.watres.2008.01.033en_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10289/8229
dc.language.isoenen_NZ
dc.publisherElsevieren_NZ
dc.relation.isPartOfWater Researchen_NZ
dc.relation.ispartofWater Research
dc.relation.urihttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135408000444en_NZ
dc.subjectdenitrificationen_NZ
dc.subjectLand-based effluent treatmenten_NZ
dc.subjectnitrogenen_NZ
dc.subjectwastewateren_NZ
dc.subjecteffluenten_NZ
dc.titleNitrogen transformation in a denitrification layer irrigated with dairy factory effluenten_NZ
dc.typeJournal Articleen_NZ
pubs.begin-page2457en_NZ
pubs.elements-id32961
pubs.end-page2464en_NZ
pubs.issue10-11en_NZ
pubs.volume42en_NZ
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