Phosphorus Treatment –Advanced Removal Mechanisms

and Amended Design forand Amended Design for Stormwater BMPs

Scott Perry, CPSWQC thCo-authors:

Brian Lee & Joel Garbon

May 18, 2011

OverviewOverviewOverviewOverview Phosphorus BasicsPhosphorus Basicspp

NPS LoadsNPS Loads

S BMPS BMP Stormwater BMP Stormwater BMP performanceperformance

Advanced Phosphorus Advanced Phosphorus Removal MechanismRemoval MechanismRemoval MechanismRemoval Mechanism

Amended BMP DesignsAmended BMP Designs

Things to AvoidThings to Avoid

Phosphorus BasicsPhosphorus BasicsPhosphorus BasicsPhosphorus Basics

Essential nutrient for lifeEssential nutrient for lifeEssential nutrient for lifeEssential nutrient for life

Cyclic between land & waterCyclic between land & water

Limiting nutrient in fresh Limiting nutrient in fresh

waterwater

CanadianCanadianCanadian Canadian Experimental Experimental

Lakes Area # 226:Lakes Area # 226:Lakes Area # 226:Lakes Area # 226:

Curtain divided lakeCurtain divided lake

Carbon & Nitrogen Carbon & Nitrogen

added to both sidesadded to both sidesadded to both sidesadded to both sides

Phosphorus added Phosphorus added Phosphorus to lower halfto lower halfadded

Fisheries and Oceans Canada - 1973

Millions of Years

Lake Erie - Oct. 2010

L k E i S t 2008

Lake Erie – Sept. 2009

Lake Erie – Sept. 2008

P blProblem:

E Ph h i f h tE Ph h i f h t Excess Phosphorus in fresh water causes Excess Phosphorus in fresh water causes EutrophicationEutrophication (over enrichment):(over enrichment):

Algal bloomsAlgal bloomsMicroMicro toxinstoxins CyanobacteriaMicroMicro--toxins … toxins … Cyanobacteria

HypoxiaHypoxia HypoxiaHypoxiaFish killsFish kills

i ii iInvasive speciesInvasive species Lake ChamplainAP & VPR News - 2010

Additional Issues :

Taste & odor problems Fish & aquatic community Recreational quality Recreational quality Property values

Ch l Ri B t M tCharles River – Boston Metro

NPS Phosphorus SourcesNPS Phosphorus Sources

FertilizersFertilizers

NPS Phosphorus SourcesNPS Phosphorus Sources

FertilizersFertilizers Animal & Pet WasteAnimal & Pet Waste

V t ti & L V t ti & L Vegetation & Leaves Vegetation & Leaves DetergentsDetergents

E i & S di t LE i & S di t L Erosion & Sediment LossErosion & Sediment Loss Hydrocarbons & LubricantsHydrocarbons & Lubricants Airborne Fallout: Dust, Pollen, Fossil Airborne Fallout: Dust, Pollen, Fossil

FuelsFuels Waste Water (CSO / Septic)Waste Water (CSO / Septic)

Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay Pollen Load from Pollen Load from Outfalls APR09Outfalls APR09Outfalls APR09Outfalls APR09

Phosphorus Stormwater Phosphorus Stormwater L di b L d UL di b L d ULoading by Land Use Loading by Land Use

1Yea

r

1

1.5

cre

/ Y

0

0.5

s / A

c

0

mmercial

Industry

identia

l

Highways

g Center

identia

lou

nds

Comm InDen

sity R

esid Hig

Shopping Densit

y Res

idPo

High D

Med. D

EPA Stormwater BMP Design Guide, 2004

Imperviousness Cover &Ph h L dPhosphorus Load

Center for Watershed Protection - Schueler and Caraco 2001

Phosphorus Load with Increasing % Tree Canopy

g/L)

Increasing % Tree Canopyus

(m

gsp

horu

al P

hos

Tota

USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 99–4021

% Tree Canopy

Phosphorus Load with Increasing % Tree Canopy

g/L)

Increasing % Tree Canopyus

(m

gsp

horu

al P

hos

Tota

USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 99–4021

% Tree Canopy

Total Phosphorus (TP) Total Phosphorus (TP) P i i iP i i iPartitioningPartitioning

1. Particulate-Bound (PB) Phosphorus

Sediment particlep

Di l d Ph h (DP)2. Dissolved Phosphorus (DP) BioBio--availableavailable

“QUICK SUGAR”“QUICK SUGAR” for Algal Bloomsfor Algal Blooms

Phosphorus Partitioning Phosphorus Partitioning by Land Useby Land Useby Land Useby Land Use

Residential Commercial Industrial Open SpaceResidential Commercial Industrial Open Space

Ave. TP EMC (mg/L) 0.41 0.34 0.45 0.59(mg/L)

Ave. DP EMC (mg/L) 0.20 0.18 0.16 0.16

% PB 51 % 47 % 64 % 73 %

% DP 49 % 53 % 36 % 27 %TP = Particulate-bound phosphorus & Dissolved Phosphorus

National Stormwater Quality Database

New York State DEC, 2008

DP = Dissolved Phosphorus

PB = Particulate-bound Phosphorus

Phosphorus in StormwaterPhosphorus in Stormwater

Sediment particleparticle

What should should

you capture?capture?

Typical Urban Stormwater BMPs designed to captures 80% TSS:to captures 80% TSS:

Particulate-bound Phosphorus (PB)

Dissolved Phosphorus (DP)

+

Phosphorus (PB)

Sediment

Phosphorus (DP)

or+Sediment particle

or

50% TP --- Associated with TSS (sediment)

50% TP --- Dissolved (< 0.45-mircons)

80% TSS capture X 50% (particulate-bound phosphorus) = 40% (TP) Removal% ( )

Range of Total Phosphorus (TP) % Removal per BMP Type% Removal per BMP Type

80

100

40

60

ienc

y

0

20

s s n n sval E

ffici

-40

-20

y Po

nds

et P

onds

Wet

land

Filte

ring

ract

ices

eten

tion

filtr

atio

nra

ctic

es

Ope

nha

nnel

s

% R

emov

-80

-60 Dry

We W F P

Bio

r Inf

Pr C%

Center for Watershed Protection,

National Pollutant Performance Removal Database version3, Sept. 2007

-100

Factors impacting Factors impacting p gp gPhosphorus Fate & TransportPhosphorus Fate & Transport

Water chemistry conditionsWater chemistry conditions pHpHpp AlkalinityAlkalinity TemperatureTemperature TemperatureTemperature Redox potentialRedox potential Particle chargeParticle charge Particle chargeParticle charge ConcentrationConcentrationTi / M i t fTi / M i t f Time / Maintenance frequencyTime / Maintenance frequency

Phosphorus FatePhosphorus FatePhosphorus FatePhosphorus Fate

Phosphorus speciation will shiftPhosphorus speciation will shift Phosphorus speciation will shiftPhosphorus speciation will shift

Some ExamplesSome Examples Impact of runoff pH of 7.0 vs 5.0p p Detention (pH & time)

Anaerobic activity / decaying organics Anaerobic activity / decaying organics

Stormwater TP Removal Stormwater TP Removal M h i & G li d C bilitM h i & G li d C bilitMechanisms & Generalized CapabilityMechanisms & Generalized Capability

Unit Process / Total Phosphorus (TP)Unit Process / Removal

Mechanism

Sedimentation Yes No

Filtration Yes Limited

d dBiological Uptake

Limited*assuming vegetative

harvesting

Limited*assuming vegetative

harvesting

Sorption No Yes

SorptionSorptionAdsorption Absorption

SorptionSorption

Combination of physiochemical Combination of physiochemical interactions;interactions;interactions;interactions; Adsorption Adsorption -- surface attachment surface attachment AbsorptionAbsorption -- internal attachment (sponge)internal attachment (sponge) Absorption Absorption internal attachment (sponge)internal attachment (sponge) Ion Exchange Ion Exchange -- displacement of ions (Ca, Mg, Na)displacement of ions (Ca, Mg, Na)

So ption Capacit / Sorption Capacity --- mg/g

Compared to soils …

Ion Exchange Capacity --- meq/100g

Ways to increase TP removal & Ways to increase TP removal & reduce variationreduce variation

TSS RemovalTSS Removal1.1. TSS RemovalTSS Removal(particulate(particulate--bound P Removal)bound P Removal)

2.2. Design / Implement systems to;Design / Implement systems to;A. Capture SILT-sized particles

(63-microns)(63 microns)

B. Prevent RESUSPENSIONSediment

ti lparticle

Ways to increase TP removal & Ways to increase TP removal & reduce variationreduce variation

3.3. Prevent Phosphorus Speciation ShiftPrevent Phosphorus Speciation Shift Maintenance?Maintenance?Maintenance?Maintenance?

4.4. Amend & Design BMPs to Capture DPAmend & Design BMPs to Capture DP44 e d & es g s to Captu ee d & es g s to Captu e Incorporate Sorption Materials to polishIncorporate Sorption Materials to polish

5.5. Treat more WQTreat more WQvv (> 90%)(> 90%)

Ph h i St tPh h i St tPhosphorus in StormwaterPhosphorus in Stormwater

Sediment particle

Particulate Particulate Dissolved Ph hboundbound Phosphorus

Quantifying Sorption Capability Quantifying Sorption Capability for Dissolved Pollutant Removalfor Dissolved Pollutant Removal

IsothermIsotherm Isotherm Isotherm –– Best Case Maximum capacity it can hold?

Kinetics Kinetics –– How fast can it be sorbed?

Breakthrough Breakthrough ––How much before it is full? (maintenance) How much before it is full? (maintenance)

Desorption Desorption –– Retaining DP … is the bond strong enough?

Dissolved Phosphorus (DP) Sorption Performance (T. Wu et al, Stormwater Phosphorus Adsorption on Oxide Coated Media, WEFTEC,2008)

Media Type(0.5 mm to 10 mm)

IsothermKf (mg/g)

Kineticsqe (mg/g)

Breakthrough Exhaustion (BVs) Desorption

Al-oxide Pumice 0.40 1.19 1,800 – 2,700 No

Al-oxide Waste 1 3 0 51 1 450 – 3 600 NoAggregate 1.3 0.51 1,450 – 3,600 No

Zeolite / Perlite / Carbon (ZPG) 0.05 None 5 Yes

Perlite 0.002 1.37 < 10 No

Recycled Tire 0.003 None < 45 Yes

Expanded Shale 0.14 0.98 9 - 50 YesVery Finely Graded Medias (< 0.5 mm) with low hydraulic conductivity

Bioretention Soil 0 18 4 67 50 NoBioretention Soil 0.18 4.67 50 No

Concrete Sand < 0.01 < 0.001 < 5 No

AmendedAmendedApplicationsApplications

Amended Amended Low Impact DevelopmentLow Impact Development

Bioretention & Rain gardensBioretention & Rain gardens

Use SorptionUse Sorption based Media or

MaterialL d Layer under

mulchoror

Part of under drainoror

Polishing Cell

Amended Surface FiltersAmended Surface FiltersApplicationsApplications

U S ti

(sand filters / bioretention)(sand filters / bioretention)Use Sorption based Media or

Material displace part of

Sand bed

ApplicationsApplicationsSorbtiveMEDIASorbtiveMEDIA

As MEDIA layer or bed in:

Amended Pervious PavementsAmended Pervious Pavements• Joints• Bedding

Course Interlocking Permeable Pavers Interlocking Permeable Pavers

Course• Polishing Filter

Under Drain PVC

Things to Avoid with “Sorption” Things to Avoid with “Sorption” Materials Materials

Monitor the use of materials prone toMonitor the use of materials prone to Monitor the use of materials prone to Monitor the use of materials prone to desorptiondesorption

O i / C t / S ilO i / C t / S il Organics / Compost / SoilsOrganics / Compost / Soils Evaluate MaterialEvaluate Material

PreventPrevent leachingleaching of other Toxicsof other Toxics Prevent Prevent leachingleaching of other Toxics of other Toxics pH, Heavy MetalspH, Heavy Metals

Slag Iron based materials other waste by Slag, Iron-based materials, other waste by-products

Summary Summary

Urban Runoff can be a significant Urban Runoff can be a significant ggPhosphorus contributorPhosphorus contributor

Impaired water bodies should use BMPs to Impaired water bodies should use BMPs to treattreat Dissolved PhosphorusDissolved Phosphorus (DP)(DP)treat treat Dissolved PhosphorusDissolved Phosphorus (DP)(DP)

BMPs “Best Management Practices” canBMPs “Best Management Practices” can BMPs “Best Management Practices” can BMPs “Best Management Practices” can easily be amended to address DP removaleasily be amended to address DP removal

Questions?S tt P

Questions?Scott Perry

301-279-882730 9 88

sperry@imbriumsystems.com