Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of anions on bio-chemical degradation of nitrate in groundwater

  • Thematic Issue
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Combining denitrifying bacteria with sodium oleate-nanoscale zero-valent iron (SONZVI) has been proven to be effective for aqueous phase nitrate remediation. However, the effects of coexistent ions on nitrate reduction in a groundwater environment, which is at low temperature and under anoxic, light-excluded conditions, remain elusive. In this study, nitrate reduction by microbial-NZVI was evaluated via batch tests in the presence of common anions (SO4 2−, PO4 3− and Cl−) in two different environments: groundwater environment and room environment. The results showed that nitrate was largely reduced within 10 days in an SONZVI + cell reactor in the groundwater environment, while only 79 % of the nitrate was reduced over 10 days in the room environment. In the groundwater environment, the removal efficiency could be accelerated by chloride or phosphate, but inhibited by sulfate. There were mainly two reaction stages, which were chemical reduction degradation and denitrifying degradation. Pseudo-first-order kinetics was used to describe the two reaction stages. In the first stage, the existence of the anions inhibited nitrate degradation. The synergistic effects of these anions on nitrate removal followed the order of Cl−, SO4 2−, and PO4 3−. The results implied that using microbial-NZVI is a potential approach for in situ remediation of groundwater with nitrate contamination.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alowitz MJ, Scherer MM (2002) Kinetic of nitrate, nitrite and Cr(VI) reduction by iron metal. Environ Sci Technol 36:299–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biswas S, Bose P (2005) Zero-valent iron-assisted autotrophic denitrification. J Environ Eng 131(8):1212–1220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen YD, Jiang YP, Zhu YN et al (2013) Fate and transport of ethanol-blended dissolved BTEX hydrocarbons: a quantitative tracing study of a sand tank experiment. Environ Earth Sci 70(1):49–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng SF, Wu SC (2000) The enhance methods for the degradation of TCE by zero-valent metals. Chemosphere 41(8):1263–1270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choe S, Chang YY, Hwang KY, Khim J (2000) Kinetics of reductive denitrification by nanoscale zero-valent iron. Chemosphere 41(8):1307–1311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis AP (2007) Field performance of bioretention: water quality. Environ Eng Sci 24(8):1048–1064

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doyle MP, Beuchat LR, Montville TJ (1997) Food microbiology fundamentals and frontiers. ASM Press, Washington, p 786

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan X, Guan X, Ma J, Ai H (2009) Kinetics and corrosion products of aqueous nitrate reduction by iron powder without reaction conditions control. J Environ Sci 21(8):1028–1035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foglra L, Briski F, Sipos L et al (2005) High nitrate from removal synthetic wasterwater with the mixed bacterial culture. Bioresour Technol 96(8):879–888

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harms H, Volkland HP, Repphun G et al (2003) Action of chelators on solid iron in phosphate-containing aqueous solution. Corros Sci 45(8):1717–1732

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hosseini SM, Ataie-Ashtiani B, Kholghi M (2011) Nitrate reduction by nano-Fe/Cu particles in packed column. Desalination 276:214–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang YH, Zhang TC (2002) Kinetics of nitrate reduction by iron at near neutral pH. J Environ Eng Asce 128:604–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang YH, Zhang TC (2004) Effects of low pH on nitrate reduction by iron powder. Water Res 38(11):2631–2642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang CP, Wang HW, Chiu PC (1998) Nitrate reduction by metallic iron. Water Res 32(8):2257–2264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang YH, Kim DG, Shin HS (2011) Mechanism study of nitrate reduction by nano zero valent iron. J Hazard Mater 185:1513–1521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joekar-Niasar V, Ataie-Ashtiani B (2009) Assessment of nitrate contamination in unsaturated zone of urban areas: the case study of Tehran, Iran. Environ Geol 57(8):1785–1798

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim HH, Seagren EA, Davis AP (2003) Engineered bioretention for removal of nitrate from stormwater runoff. Water Environ Res 75:355–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lgourna Z, Warner N, Bouchaou L et al (2015) Elucidating the sources and mechanisms of groundwater salinization in the Ziz Basin of southeastern Morocco. Environ Earth Sci 73(1):77–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma ZF, Lian XY, Zhang JB (2013) Simulation on remediation of 2,4-DNT in groundwater by zero-valent iron. China Environ Sci 33(5):814–820

    Google Scholar 

  • Rina K, Datta PS, Singh CK et al (2014) Determining the genetic origin of nitrate contamination in aquifers of Northern Gujarat, India. Environ Earth Sci 71(4):1711–1719

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samuel CNT, Irene MCL (2013) Magnetic nanoparticles: essential factors for sustainable environmental applications. Water Res 47:2613–2632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnobrich MR, Chaplin BP, Semmens MJ et al (2007) Stimulating hydrogenotrophic denitrification in simulated groundwater containing high dissolved oxygen and nitrate concentrations. Water Res 41(9):1869–1876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin KH, Cha DK (2008) Microbial reduction of nitrate in the presence of nanoscale zero-valent iron. Chemosphere 72(8):257–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siantar DP, Schreier CG, Chou CS et al (1996) Treatment of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane and nitrate-contaminated water with zero-valent iron or hydrogen/palladium catalysts. Water Res 30:2315–2322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith R, Ceazan M, Brooks M (1994) Autotrophic, hydrogenoxidizing, denitrifying bacteria in groundwater, potential agents for bioremediation of nitrate contamination. Appl Environ Microbiol 60:1949–1955

    Google Scholar 

  • Son YH, Lee JK, Soong Y et al (2012) Heterostructured zero valent iron–montmorillonite nanohybrid and their catalytic efficacy. Appl Clay Sci 62–63:21–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Su CM, Puls RW (2004) Nitrate reduction by zerovalent iron: effects of formate, oxalate, citrate, chloride, sulfate, borate, and phosphate. Environ Sci Technol 38:2715–2720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang SC, Lo IM (2013) Magnetic nanoparticles: essential factors for sustainable environmental applications. Water Res 47(8):2613–2632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang CL, Zhang ZQ, Sun XN (2012) Effect of common ions on nitrate removal by zero-valent iron from alkaline soil. J Hazard Mater 231–232:114–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Jin ZH, Li TL et al (2006) Preparation of spherical iron nanoclusters in ethanol–water solution for nitrate removal. Chemosphere 65:1396–1404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang GC, Lee HL (2005) Chemical reduction of nitrate by nanosized iron: kinetics and pathways. Water Res 39(5):884–894

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported with a grant from the National High-Tech R&D Program of China (863 Program) (No.2012AA062603).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Zhifei Ma

  2. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Zhifei Ma, Yu Yang, Yonghai Jiang, Beidou Xi, Xinying Lian & Yanan Xu

  3. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Zhifei Ma, Yu Yang, Yonghai Jiang, Beidou Xi, Xinying Lian & Yanan Xu

Authors
  1. Zhifei Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yu Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yonghai Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Beidou Xi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xinying Lian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Yanan Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yonghai Jiang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ma, Z., Yang, Y., Jiang, Y. et al. Effects of anions on bio-chemical degradation of nitrate in groundwater. Environ Earth Sci 74, 3985–3992 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4454-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4454-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation