Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Multiscale Assessment Of Drinking Water Treatment Residuals As A Phosphorus Sorbing Amendment In Stormwater Bioretention Systems, Michael Rick Ament

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Bioretention systems can reduce stormwater runoff volumes and filter pollutants. However, bioretention soil media can have limited capacity to retain phosphorus (P), and can even be a P source, necessitating P-sorbing amendments. Drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs) have promise as a bioretention media amendment due to their high P sorption capacity. This research explores the potential for DWTRs to mitigate urban P loads using a combination of lab experiments, field trials, and an urban watershed model.

In the laboratory portion of this research, I investigated possible tradeoffs between P retention and hydraulic conductivity in DWTRs to inform bioretention media designs. …