Advancing Denitrifying Bioreactors as a Beneficial Management Practice for Agricultural Drainage Waters in Alberta

Bioreactor substrates were sourced from local materials and included wood chips, hemp straw, and barley straw. The substrates were tested under varying retention times (flow rates) and air temperatures during yearround operation from the beginning of the irrigation season in the spring to the end of irrigation season in fall for nutrient removal potential. Results from this study identified air temperature, flow rate, carbon source material and bioreactor age as primary factors affecting nitrate removal.