Evaluation of Bagasse on Nitrate Reduction From Effluent Subsurface Drainage Water

In order to investigate the performance of sugarcane bagasse in the removal of nitrate from effluent subsurface drainage water, a study was conducted at the physical models laboratory of Water Sciences Engineering Faculty of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, in the summer of 2013 till the summer of 2014. A physical model with the dimensions of , which simulated the drainage trench, was utilized in this experiment. Bagasse combined with soil by 3:7 volume ratio, the combination installed as a filter besides the drainage pipe. In this study, the influent nitrate concentration was 160 mg.L-1. Influent nitrate flow was continues. At first, every two days, and then every four days the drainage pipe was sampled. Input and output drainage model solution sampled with plastic bottles. Then some parameters like Nitrate, NH4, PH and EC measured. The presence of bagasse as a carbon material in the soil caused the amount of nitrate to reduce from 160 milligrams per liter to 60 milligrams per liter; a reduction of nearly more than 60 percent. The amount of ammonium increased very little in this study. The use of sugar cane bagasse as a filter drainage, reduces the acidity of the drainage outlet. It had no effect on the electrical conductivity. Physical model results show that the clogging of the filter in this period was relatively low and carbon filter had good performance. At first, the water output velocity was high but it decreased by time. According to analytics, the difference between input and output parameters in level of five percent were significant for acidity and electrical conductivity.