Removal of Water Pollutants Via Natural Treatment Systems

Groundwater pollution by nitrate is a problem that effects many populations. Natural methods and processes are currently being evaluated as potential alternatives to current chemical systems. Oftentimes, what is noted is that these systems result in the creation of unwarranted byproducts. The following presentation will review the biological process of denitrification in the removal of nitrates from polluted groundwater. Denitrification occurs naturally in nature. Utilizing this process to remove nitrates from water will be vital to making the water treatment process more environmentally-friendly. The experiment tested the hypothesis that the twigs are a more effective carbon source when compared to cardboard in the denitrification process. Bioreactors were created and tests were performed to observe the effects on the water???s nitrate levels. Additional variables included pH levels, conductivity, and porosity. In the end, it was proven that twigs had higher levels of nitrate removal due its lowered porosity, which in turn results in a higher reaction rate