Why Water Quality? FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, PDF Free Download

Nutrients

Nutrients Microbes Rulers of the World Microbes and Redox Potential Dissolved Oxygen Nitrogen Cycle From Waste to Gas Phosphorus Cycle or Recycle Algae The Miracle of Life Stormwater - Loadings and First Flush Urban Lakes Public Assets or Sludge Pits?

Why Water Quality? Clean Water Act TMDL Middle aged lakes and waterfront property Drinking Water Treatment Costs Harmful Algae Blooms and Red Tides Ecological Disasters FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2013 EPA Survey Finds More Than Half of the Nation s River and Stream Miles in Poor Condition. - Nitrogen and phosphorus are at excessive levels.

Why Water Quality?

Nutrient Cycles in Fresh Water

Microbes and Biochemical Oxidation of Organic Material

Microbes Electron Transfer agents

Definitions REDOX reactions transference of electrons Oxidation Pull Electrons away from a substance (increase the oxidation number) Reduction Give Electrons to a substance (reduce the oxidation number) Degradation of organic material is a transfer of electrons (by microbes) from the material to an electron acceptor, like oxygen, nitrate, iron, or sulfate even uranium. e e

Oxidation using Oxygen (aerobic) Organic material +O 2 + nutrients H 2 O + CO 2 + nutrients + energy + cells e e The Oxygen is being reduced. The biodegradable material is being oxidized.

Oxidation using N0 2 (Anoxic) Organic material + NO 2 cells CO 2 +N 2 + energy and e e

Oxidation using Other Electron Acceptors such as Iron (Anaerobic) Organic material + Fe +3 H 2 O + Fe +2 + energy and cells Extremely complex interactions e e

Anaerobic Bacteria and Bacterial Remediation Organic material +U(VI)(soluble) =U(IV) (insoluable) + energy and cells Geobacter metallireducens

From anaerobic environments to aerobic environmentsthere s a bacteria for that too Sulfur Bacteria H 2 S + O 2 H 2 SO 4 + energy Iron Bacteria Fe++ (Ferrous) + O 2 Fe+++ (Ferric) + energy Leptothrix and Crenothrix deposit Fe(OH) 3 in their sheaths forming yellow or reddish slime Picture courtesy of Patrick Shearer and Kerr Environmental

Nutrient Cycles and Re-dox Potential Sediment Condition Anaerobic Anoxic Aerobic Redox Condition Highly Reduced Reduced Moderately Reduced Oxidized Elecron Acceptor CO2 SO42- Fe3+ Mn4+ NO3- O2 Microbial Metabolism Anaerobic Facultative Aerobic Redox Potential -300-200 -100 100 200 400-700

Dissolved Oxygen

Definitions of Oxygen Demand Parameters CBOD (BOD) Carbonacious biochemical oxygen demand measure of oxygen required to oxidize organic matter. COD Chemical Oxygen Demand NOD Nitrogenious Oxygen Demand SOD Sediment Oxygen Demand

Oxygen Demand Biochemical Oxygen Demand Ranges for typical BOD levels in water bodies are: < 5 mg/l in natural, unpolluted waterways 20 30 mg/l for well-treated sewage 150 300 mg/l for raw sewage 100 500 mg/l for urban stormwater run off. CBOD NOD SOD and inorganic matter (reoxidation of reduced electron acceptors of anaerobic respiration processes)

Dissolved Oxygen Saturation in Lakes

Stratification of a Lake

Stratification of a Lake Creates an Environment with low Oxygen

Stratification of a Deeper Lake

Water Depth (m) Stratification of a Shallow Lake Dissolved Oxygen Profiles for Lake July 16 0 0.5 1 1.5 40 60 80 100 120 140 % Saturated DO

Other Substances are used as Oxidants

Eventually Dead Zones

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle Total Nitrogen TKN NO2 - NO3 - N2 gas

Nitrogen Cycle Total Nitrogen TKN (NH4 +, NH3, Organic N) NO2 - NO3 - N2 gas

Nitrogen Cycle AEROBIC CONDITIONS Organic Material NH3 Nitrifying Bacteria NH 3 + O 2 NO 2 - + energy NO 2 - + O 2 NO 3 - + energy Consuming Oxygen: Nitrogenious Oxygen Demand (NOD) Anaerobic Conditions organics + NO 3 - + CO 2 + N 2 + energy

Nutrient Cycle Organic Nitrogen Atmosphere N 2 Ammonia (NH3) organics + NO 3 - + CO 2 + N 2 + energy Nitrate (NO 3- ) Nitrite (NO 2- ) Nitrifying Bacteria NH 3 + O 2 NO 2 - + energy NO 2 - + O 2 NO 3 - + energy

Phosphorus Cycle

The Phosphorus Cycle Involves 2 major steps Bacterial conversion of organic P to inorganic Taken up by plants

Phosphorus Cycle Organic P Plants Orthophosphate (PO 4 3- )

Phosphorus is a non renewable resource Phosphate rock is mined. Only a few countries have control over the P market: China and Morocco are the biggest players with majority of P reserves. Phosphate rock prices are increasing Quality of phosphate rock is declining Peak Phosphorus?

The Biggest Problem You Never Heard of Current human use of the key nutrient element phosphorus (P) is unsustainable, as geological and geopolitical uncertainties threaten the P supply for fertilizer production while wasteful use pollutes rivers, lakes and oceans. ASU Sustainable Phosphorus Initiative The majority of the world's agricultural fields today rely on fertilizers derived from inorganic minerals, such as phosphate rock. Phosphate rock is a non-renewable resource that takes 10-15 million years to form from seabed to uplift and weathering, and current known reserves are likely to be depleted in 50-100 years. Global Phosphate Initiative

Western US Phosphate Project (USGS)

Phosphorus - Recycling Struvite Recovery Process Nutrient Recovery by Struvite Crystallization, 2007 Water Environment Federation and ODU research From Analysis of Plant Growth in Stormwater Detention Basin Sludge, Holly Ann Hillard, ODU

Algae Photosynthesis nco 2 + nh 2 O + NH 3 + PO 4 3- + Sunlight New Cell growth(ch 2 O) n + no 2 Respiration (CH 2 O) n + no 2 nco 2 +nh 2 O

Algae

Sulfur Cycle Organic S Sulfate SO4-2 H 2 S Photo-synthetic nonphotosynthetic bacterial oxidation Sulfur S o Photo-Synthetic nonphotosynthetic bacterial oxidation

Nutrients Microbes Rulers of the World Microbes and Redox Potential Dissolved Oxygen Nitrogen Cycle From waste to gas Phosphorus Cycle or Recycle Algae The Miracle that loves to eat Stormwater - Loadings and First Flush Urban Lakes public assets or sludge pits?

pounds Nutrient and Sediment Storm Loadings 1.1 inch storm can dump ½ lb of P 5 Pounds of N 55 pounds of solids 25 20 15 10 5 0 Nutrient Loading from 67 Residential Acres- TSS and Nutrients TN (lb x 10) TSS - lb TP (lb X 100) Cumulative Volume (gal x 100) Flow (GPM) 0.19 0.34 0.39 0.56 0.67 0.79 0.85 0.9 1.08 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Volume 7:00 7:30 8:00 04/22/2012 9:00 10:00 Cumulative 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00

Life of a Lake ALL Lakes age, decline, and disappear eventually Trophic States Oligotrophic Mesotrophic Eutrophic Hypereutrophic

Trophic State

Life of a Lake Usually takes a long time, but can age extremely fast Urbanization, deforestation, natural disasters, etc. Fertilizers are a relatively new variable in the environment

Conclusion ALL Lakes age. Stormwater lakes age fast. Stormwater is full of oxygen demanding substances and nutrients. Bacteria break down substances and use up O 2. Once O 2 is used up, other bacteria emerge and use other elements to break down substances solubilizing P, creating methane and H 2 S among other things. Excessive nutrients cause excessive algae. Bacteria turn substances into cells, aka sludge. Lakes and ponds that are not maintained become sludge pits. Phosphorus is a non-renewable source and is mined. Recycling of phosphorus is a new process in wastewater plants. Recycling of phosphorus and lake sediments should be further investigated.

Lisa Bass, ME, EIT Parsons Brinckerhoff bass@pbworld.com

Why Water Quality? FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2013