(Source: Google Images - Hallmark Farmhouse)

Introduction

The Nitrate Treatability Study (NTS) was funded by Bero Engineering LLC and was administered by the Environmental Engineering department at Northern Arizona University. This website gives an overview of the NTS project background, technology selection, synthetic water for experiments, scale up calculations, and recommended system configuration. The project shows the process of selecting a technology, applying the technology in a laboratory setting on a small scale, and providing recommended system configurations to meet the project constraints and criteria developed in the project proposal.

Problem Statement

Dr. Bridget Bero, The Chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering program at Northern Arizona University has made a request for the study of nitrate removal technologies. The goal of the study is to select a nitrate treatment technology to treat groundwater for nitrate contamination in single family households in the United States of America who get drinking water from a contaminated aquifer via a well. Nitrate contaminated aquifers are common in areas where there is agricultural activity. Currently there are very limited options on the market for nitrate treatment systems for small scale applications.
The project will be considered a success if the following constraints and criteria are met.

Nitrogen is the most abundant element in the atmosphere as it comprises 80% of air . Gaseous nitrogen is found in many forms, the major ones being N2, N2O, NO, NO2, NO3 and NH3. Some of these gases readily react with rain water, or surface water, to produce nitrate and ammonium ions. These ions become part of the soil layer, eventually permeating through into groundwater aquifers creating a natural background concentration of nitrate and ammonium ions. The most notable ion, in this case, is nitrate, an anion NO3-. As nitrate leaves the atmosphere it can be converted back into elemental nitrogen (N2) through a process known as de-nitrification.  This may take place in the soil by denitrifying bacteria that reduce nitrate . As conversion takes place, nitrogen is ejected back into the atmosphere to complete the nitrogen cycle.

Groundwater harvested in the United States of America from domestic single family style well drinking-water delivery systems may be contaminated by nitrate. A large portion of the United States of America uses groundwater as its main source of drinking water. Groundwater availability varies geographically, but many places have aquifers that can supply fresh drinking water to single family households. Nitrogen contamination is more of a problem in shallow aquifers; therefor it is necessary to be aware of aquifers in the United States that would be more at risk for nitrogen contamination . Figure 1 below shows areas within the Unite States of America that are at risk for shallow ground water nitrate contamination.