Bioretention Cells Research Articles

Can Blue-Green Infrastructure enhance resilience in urban drainage systems during failure conditions?

The need to enhance the resilience of urban drainage systems (UDSs) in view of emerging global climate change and urbanisation threats is well recognised. Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) provides a suitable strategy for building the resilience of existing UDSs. However, there are limited quantitative studies that provide evidence of their effectiveness for increased uptake in cities. In this research, coupled one-dimensional-two-dimensional (1D-2D) modelling is applied to assess the effectiveness of BGI that include rainwater harvesting systems, infiltration trenches, bioretention cells, and detention ponds using two case study UDSs located in Kampala that experience catastrophic pluvial flooding caused by extreme rainfall. The resulting flooding impacts are quantified considering 'failed' and 'non-failed' UDS initial states, using total flood volume and average flood duration as system performance indicators. The study results suggest that spatially distributed rainwater harvesting systems singularly lead to a reduction in total flood volume and average flood duration of 16-45% and 18-24% in the case study UDSs, respectively. Furthermore, the study results suggest that BGIs are more effective during moderate rainfall (T < 10 years). Based on the study findings, city scale implementation of multifunctional rainwater harvesting systems is recommended as a suitable strategy for enhancing UDSs' resilience.

Removal characteristics of high concentration glyphosate in bioretention cells

ABSTRACT Glyphosate, as one of the most widely used pesticides, has been found in rainwater runoff. A bioretention cell with two types of fillers was constructed to explore removal of glyphosate in runoff an transformation of glyphosate in the filler. The type of filler had a significant impact on adsorption and degradation of glyphosate in the bioretention cell. The glyphosate removal efficiencies of coal cinder modified loess (CLB) and zeolite modified loess (ZLB) were 33.13–99.7% and 55.04–99.7%, respectively. Conversion of glyphosate in the bioretention cell occurred mainly in the upper layer of the filler. When the concentration of glyphosate in the runoff was 0.25 or 0.5 mg/L, the concentration of glyphosate degradation products at the two outlets along the way was as much as 26 times higher than that at the lowest outlet. Rainfall events promoted the migration of glyphosate and its degradation products within the filler. Glyphosate and its degradation products in ZLB were mainly distributed at 15 and 25 cm deep in the filler layer, while the highest concentrations in CLB were at 5 and 35 cm. Discontinuous runoff into the bioretention cell leads to continuous leaching and adsorption of glyphosate in the bioretention cell until complete degradation occurs.

Biochar and zero-valent iron alleviated sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline co-stress on the long-term system performance of bioretention cells: Insights into microbial community, antibiotic resistance genes and functional genes

Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), known as emerging contaminants, have raised widespread concern due to their potential environmental and human health risks. In this study, a conventional bioretention cell (C-BRC) and three modified bioretention cells with biochar (BC-BRC), microbial fuel cell coupled/biochar (EBC-BRC) and zero-valent iron/biochar (Fe/BC-BRC) were established and two antibiotics, namely sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and tetracycline (TC), were introduced into the systems in order to thoroughly investigate the co-stress associated with the long-term removal of pollutants, dynamics of microbial community, ARGs and functional genes in wastewater treatment. The results demonstrated that the SMX and TC co-stress significantly inhibited the removal of total nitrogen (TN) (C-BRC: 37.46%; BC-BRC: 41.64%; EBC-BRC: 55.60%) and total phosphorous (TP) (C-BRC: 53.11%; BC-BRC: 55.36%; EBC-BRC: 62.87%) in C-BRC, BC-BRC and EBC-BRC, respectively, while Fe/BC-BRC exhibited profoundly stable and high removal efficiencies (TN: 89.33%; TP: 98.36%). Remarkably, greater than 99% removals of SMX and TC were achieved in three modified BRCs compared with C-BRC (SMX: 30.86 %; TC: 59.29%). The decreasing absolute abundances of denitrifying bacteria and the low denitrification functional genes (nirK: 2.80 × 105–5.97 × 105 copies/g; nirS: 7.22 × 105–1.69 × 106 copies/g) were responsible for the lower TN removals in C-BRC, BC-BRC and EBC-BRC. The amendment of Fe/BC successfully detoxified SMX and TC to functional bacteria. Furthermore, the co-stress of antibiotics stimulated the propagation of ARGs (sulI, sulII, tetA and tetC) in substrates of all BRCs and only Fe/BC-BRC effectively reduced all the ARGs in effluent by an order of magnitude. The findings contribute to developing robust ecological wastewater treatment technologies to simultaneously remove nutrients and multiple antibiotics.

Designing and Evaluating the Performance of Full-scale Bioretention Cells in Indian Conditions

Designing and Evaluating the Performance of Full-scale Bioretention Cells in Indian Conditions

A fuzzy TOPSIS-based approach for prioritizing low-impact development methods in high-density residential areas.

The study successfully implemented six low-impact development (LID) methods to manage surface runoff in urban areas: green roof, infiltration trench, bio retention cell, rain barrel, green roof combined with infiltration trench, and rain barrel combined with bio-retention cell. Each method has unique benefits in mitigating surface runoff effects in urban environments. The following four indicators were used to evaluate the methods: runoff volume reduction, peak runoff flow rate reduction, economic sustainability, and social sustainability. The study, which lasted approximately 4 months, was conducted in an eastern Tehran metropolis residential area with a mix of old and new buildings. The SWMM model determined runoff volume and peak flow values, and a price analysis list determined the economic index. Local experts completed 25 questionnaires to evaluate the social index. Fuzzy TOPSIS multi-indicator decision criteria were used to prioritize LID methods, and the Rain barrel + Bio retention cell combined scenario emerged as the best option based on all four criteria. The method reduced peak runoff flow by 23.1-66.1% under rainfall with 10-year return periods. The green roof + infiltration trench method had the highest percentage reduction of 2,737 m3, while the infiltration trench had the lowest reduction of 273 m3.

The role of water matrix on antibiotic resistance genes transmission in substrate layer from stormwater bioretention cells

Recently, extensive attention has been paid to antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transmission. However, little available literature could be found about ARGs transmission in stormwater bioretention cells, especially the role of water matrix on ARGs transmission. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate target ARGs (blaTEM, tetR and aphA) transmission behaviors in substrate layer from stormwater bioretention cells under different water matrices, including nutrient elements (e.g., carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus), water environmental conditions (dissolved oxygen (DO), pH and salinity, etc.) and pollution factors (like heavy metals, antibiotics and disinfectants), showing that ARGs conjugation frequency increased sharply with the enhancement of water matrices (expect DO and pH), while there were obvious increasing tendencies for all ARGs transformation frequencies under only the pollution factor. The correlation between dominant bacteria and ARGs transmission implied that conjugation and transformation of ARGs were mainly determined by Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Latescibacterota, Chloroflexi and Cyanobacteria at the phylum level, and by Sphingomonas, Ensifer, IMCC26256, Rubellimicrobium, Saccharimonadales, Vicinamibacteraceae, Nocardioides, JG30-KF-CM66 at the genus level. The mentioned dominant bacteria were responsible for intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell membrane permeability (CMP) in the substrate layer, where the amplification of intracellular ROS variation were the largest with 144 and 147 % under the condition of TP and salinity, respectively, and the one of CMP variation were the highest more than 165 % under various pollution factors. Furthermore, both increasing DO and reducing salinity could be potential approaches for the inhibition of ARGs transmission in bioretention cells taking into account the simultaneous removal of conventional pollutants.

Fungal diversity and key functional gene abundance in Iowa bioretention cells: implications for stormwater remediation potential.

Stormwater bioretention cells are green stormwater infrastructure systems that can help mitigate flooding and remove contaminants. Plants and bacteria improve nutrient removal and degrade organic contaminants; however, the roles of fungi in bioretention cells are less known. Although mycorrhizal fungi aid in plant growth/improve nutrient uptake, there is a notable lack of research investigating fungal diversity in bioretention cells. Other types of fungi could benefit bioretention cells (e.g., white rot fungi degrade recalcitrant contaminants). This study addresses the knowledge gap of fungal function and diversity within stormwater bioretention cells. We collected multiple soil samples from 27 different bioretention cells in temperate-climate eastern Iowa USA, characterized soil physicochemical parameters, sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon to identify fungal taxa from extracted DNA, and measured functional gene abundances for two fungal laccases (Cu1, Cu1A) and a fungal nitrite reductase gene (nirKf). Fungal biodegradation functional genes were present in bioretention soils (mean copies per g: 7.4 × 105nirKf, 3.2 × 106Cu1, 4.0 × 108Cu1A), with abundance of fungal laccase and fungal nitrite reductase genes significantly positively correlated with soil pH and organic matter (Pearson's R: >0.39; rho < 0.05). PERMANOVA analysis determined soil characteristics were not significant explanatory variables for community composition (beta diversity). In contrast, planting specifications significantly impacted fungal diversity; the presence/absence of a few planting types and predominant vegetation type in the cell explained 89% of variation in fungal diversity. These findings further emphasize the importance of plants and media as key design parameters for bioretention cells, with implications for fungal bioremediation of captured stormwater contaminants.

Urban Flood Mitigation by Implementing LIDs (Case Study: Bendung Watershed in Palembang City)

Urban areas continue to be affected by flooding, necessitating more sustainable and effective adaptation strategies and mitigation initiatives. This study investigates the potential flood reduction capability achieved through implementing various green infrastructures known as low-impact development (LID). The Bendung watershed, in the center of Palembang City, with a total area of 18.37 km2, is used as the study area to evaluate the performance of LID infrastructure in reducing flood parameters, including total runoff volume, peak runoff discharge, runoff coefficient, and flooding area. Five types of LID infrastructure were simulated, namely bio-retention cells, rain gardens, permeable pavements, rain barrels, and recharge wells. The flood simulations were performed using four design storms with 2-, 5-, 10-, and 25-year return periods. Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling and simulations were carried out using PCSWMM Professional 2D, and the results were integrated with ArcMap to map the flood inundation. The results of this study demonstrate that with only 9.81 percent of the area occupied by LIDs, a flood reduction of more than 30% can be achieved. In addition, implementing LIDs can help restore the watershed’s hydrological condition to its natural state, as indicated by the decrease in the runoff coefficient. Thus, implementing LIDs in a sustainable urban drainage system must be widely promoted in many urban areas, especially in developed countries like Indonesia. This study can be used as a reference for the local government and authorities to create policies and regulations to establish sustainable flood mitigation measures in Palembang City.

Stormwater alters the resistome of urban surface water, an impact that can be mitigated by green stormwater infrastructure

Bioretention cell treatment lessened stormwater's impact on surface water, reducing the diversity of antibiotic resistance genes after a rainfall event.

Block-scale use of bioretention cells to restore the urban water balance: A case study in Tehran metropolis

Study regionA densely populated urban area located in the 13th municipality of Tehran metropolis, Iran. Study focusBioretention cell is one of the low-impact development methods that aims to restore the hydrological cycle in city areas before urban development. However, the bioretention cell's hydrological performance can vary in urban environments. As a result, this research investigated the effectiveness of a bioretention cell in reducing runoff and recharging groundwater in a densely populated metropolitan area located in eastern Tehran, Iran. Groundwater and surface water modeling were conducted separately. The SWMM model was used for surface water modeling, while a novel approach that utilized the SWMM groundwater module was implemented to assess the bioretention cell's impact on groundwater recharge quantitatively. New hydrological insights for the regionThe study found that implementing bioretention cells can significantly reduce total runoff volume, ranging from 75.6% to 60.7% for rainfall with a return period of 2–100 years. This reduction is due to increased infiltration from the bioretention cells, which can lead to a maximum monthly increase of 12.2–44.0 millimeters of groundwater table for the same rainfall events. The study highlights the effectiveness of retaining runoff through bioretention cells in mitigating flooding, restoring the hydrological cycle, and reviving aquifers in urban areas.

Ranking the optimal combination of low-impact urban development systems under climate change with the TODIM multi-criteria decision-making method

One of the strategies to manage and reduce the problems caused by floods is to use different Low-Impact Development (LID) systems. Due to the existence of different types of LID systems, it is difficult to choose the best combination of them. The purpose of this research is to rank different LID systems and choose the best combination or arrangement of them under climate change using TODIM multi-criteria decision making method, which has not been done so far, in the northernmost of Tehran city (Iran), which also includes part of Tehran municipality districts 1 and 3 and it is adjacent to Tehran municipality district 6. Previously by the authors, surface runoff in the near future (2030–2047) and far future (2048–2065) under three scenarios of Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP2.6), (RCP4.5), and (RCP8.5) with the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was simulated (Dougaheh et al., 2023). Next the LID systems, including Vegetative Swale, bio-retention cell, infiltration trench and permeable pavement, are optimized with Multi-Objective Harris Hawks Optimization (MOHHO) algorithm. Then, using the Pareto Fronts obtained from the optimization algorithm, seven combinations of different LID systems were extracted as final alternatives. Then, the objective functions of the optimization algorithm, including the minimization of the volume of outflow runoff of the basin and the minimization of the cost of construction and maintenance of LID, are determined as problem criteria and weighted by the Entropy-Shannon method. The results show that the volume of urban runoff with the use of LID systems, in all future time periods under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 scenarios, will decrease by an average of 54% compared to the baseline time period, and the maximum percentage of volume reduction of the flood is related to the baseline period. In the future research, taking into account the qualitative parameters, the performance of the urban runoff collection system can be evaluated qualitatively in addition to quantitatively.

Microplastic Removal from Road Stormwater Runoff using Lab-scale Bioretention Cell

Microplastic removal from stormwater runoff from roads is necessary to reduce the effect of microplastic pollution in water bodies. Bioretention is a potential technology to remove microplastics in stormwater runoff from roads. A lab-scale experiment was conducted to determine the efficiency, effect on vegetation and discharge variation, and the kinetics of microplastic removal from stormwater runoff from roads using a bioretention cell. The experiment was done using an artificial sample based on visual characterization of stormwater runoff from highways, commercial, and residential roads. The vegetations that were examined were Vetivera sp. and Hibiscus sp. The operational discharge was varied based on rainfall intensity categories. The result showed that the removal efficiency was in the range of 92.4 to 99.3% with a mean of 97.2%. Statistical analysis (α = 5%) showed that variation in vegetation and discharge had no significant effect on microplastic removal using bioretention. The first-order kinetic analysis showed that the kinetic removal constant of the bioretention with Vetivera sp., bioretention with Hibiscus sp., and bioretention without vegetation was 0.0356, 0.034, and 0.0327, respectively. These results indicate that bioretention with Hibiscus sp. removed more microplastics at greater depths than with Vetivera sp.

Stormwater reuse for water-sensitive city - Integrated analysis of urban hydrology for efficient alternatives of Amaravati city, India.

In the present study, Amaravati, a proposed city of Andhra Pradesh, India, is identified for stormwater reuse analysis and for various efficient options for reuse. Peak runoff from the entire catchment is determined for the management of stormwater using different models such as soil and water assessment tool (SWAT), stormwater management model, and intensity-duration-frequency curves by the log Pearson Type III method. Further, the bio-retention cell low-impact development option with 60% impervious area, 60% zero depression impervious area, bio-retention cell for 40% area for each sub-catchment, and the underground stormwater network system, for part of peak runoff reduction, remaining peak runoff is considered for reuse. The remaining peak runoff is proposed to be reused for irrigation purposes (option 1), and storage retention ponds as extended detention ponds (option 2). Also, in situ storage/percolation is recommended for unaccounted stormwater within or around each premise. The findings can help to propose, implement, and maintain various stormwater reuse measures and/or practices for any city.

Integrating the Spatial Configurations of Green and Gray Infrastructure in Urban Stormwater Networks

AbstractGreen infrastructure (GI) practices improve stormwater quality and reduce urban flooding, but as urban hydrology is highly controlled by its associated gray infrastructure (e.g., stormwater pipe network), GI's watershed‐scale performance depends on its siting within its associated watershed. Although many stormwater practitioners have begun considering GI's spatial configuration within a larger watershed, few approaches allow for flexible scenario exploration, which can untangle GI's interaction with gray infrastructure network and assess its effects on watershed hydrology. To address the gap in integrated gray‐green infrastructure planning, we used an exploratory model to examine gray‐green infrastructure performance using synthetic stormwater networks with varying degrees of flow path meandering, informed by analysis on stormwater networks from the Minneapolis‐St. Paul Metropolitan Area, MN, USA. Superimposed with different coverage and placements of GI (e.g., bioretention cells), these gray‐green stormwater networks are then subjected to different rainfall intensities within Environmental Protection Agency's Storm Water Management Model to simulate their hydrological benefits (e.g., peak flow reduction, flood reduction). Although only limited choices of green and gray infrastructure were explored, the results show that the gray infrastructure's spatial configuration can introduce tradeoffs between increased peak flow and increased flooding, and further interacts with GI coverage and placement to reduce peak flow and flooding at low rainfall intensity. However, as rainfall intensifies, GI ceases to reduce peak flow. For integrated gray‐green infrastructure planning, our results suggest that physical constraints of the stormwater networks and the range of rainfall intensities must be considered when implementing GI.

Bio-Retention Cells Performance in Restoring the Hydrologic Cycle of Highly Urbanized Catchments

Bio-Retention Cells Performance in Restoring the Hydrologic Cycle of Highly Urbanized Catchments

Optimal design of low impact development at a community scale considering urban non-point source pollution management under uncertainty

Urban non-point source (NPS) pollution management is receiving increased attention because of the environmental and ecological consequences of urbanization. We developed a Storm Water Management Model (SWMM)-based interval double-sided chance-constrained programming (SWMM–IDCCP) model for the optimal design of low impact development (LID) during urban NPS pollution management at a community scale. Pollution control efficiency and economic costs related to LID practices were considered in the SWMM–IDCCP model, simultaneously addressing uncertainties in pollutant output and decision-making processes. Specifically, by combining SWMM, Monte Carlo simulation, interval linear programming, and double-sided chance-constrained programming, the SWMM–IDCCP model can evaluate export loads of urban NPS pollutants and pollution control efficiencies of LID practices and analyze the corresponding uncertainties. Concurrently, the proposed model can provide reliable and optimal implementation schemes for LID practices under different scenarios, dealing with uncertainties such as discrete intervals and double-sided random parameters. The proposed model was applied to the Dongguan University of Technology in Dongguan City, South China. The random distribution characteristics of pollution load were identified. The ranges of pollution load for total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus were 76,430–165,698, 44,366–74,155, 2118–3,830, and 97–177 kg in 2021, respectively. Probability distribution characteristics of pollution control efficiencies of three LID practices (i.e., bio-retention cell, green roof, and permeable pavement) for the four urban NPS pollutants were obtained. Using the SWMM-IDCCP model, LID configuration schemes were obtained under diverse pollution control targets and confidence levels, taking into account variations in the decision preference of different administrators. This research indicates that the SWMM-IDCCP model can be used to manage urban NPS pollution at a community scale under uncertainty.

Global Paradigm Shifts in Urban Stormwater Management Optimization: A Bibliometric Analysis

Amidst the growing urgency to mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic climate change, urban flooding stands out as a critical concern, necessitating effective stormwater management strategies. This research presents a bibliometric analysis of the literature on urban stormwater management optimization from 2004 to 2023, with the aim of understanding how the field has responded to these escalating challenges. Aiming to map the evolution and current state of the field, this study employed a methodical approach, using CiteSpace to analyze publication trends, authorship patterns, and geographical distributions, as well as keyword and citation dynamics. The findings reveal a marked increase in research activity after 2014, with significant contributions observed between 2019 and 2022. Key research themes identified include low-impact development, green infrastructure, and stormwater management, with a notable shift towards hybrid grey–green infrastructure solutions that combine traditional and ecological elements. The prevalence of terms such as ‘best management practices’ and ‘Green Roofs’ in recent publications indicates a growing emphasis on practical, case-study-based research, particularly in green infrastructure technologies like bioretention cells. These insights underscore the field’s movement towards pragmatic, multi-objective optimization frameworks with tangible applications, guiding future research directions in this increasingly complex domain.

Optimization of a Tree Pit as a Blue–Green Infrastructure Object

Trees in dense urban environments are often planted in bioretention cells with an underlying trench (BC-T) providing both stormwater pretreatment and storage. The BC-T design is based on a water balance; however, some input data (tree water uptake and water-holding capacities of soil filter and trench substrate) are difficult to obtain. The goals of this paper were (i) to study the sensitivity of such data in the BC-T design (i.e., their effect on the size of the drained area which may be connected to the tree pit), and (ii) to recommend a possible simplification of the water balance for engineering practice. Global sensitivity analysis was performed for the setup of a BC-T used in Prague, Czech Republic, assuming three different trench exfiltration rates. The most sensitive variable affecting the size of the drained area is the available water-holding capacity in the trench. The simplification of the water balance is highly dependent on exfiltration conditions. At high exfiltration rates (18 mm·h−1 and more) or for a trench with an underdrain, the water-holding capacity in the soil filter and the tree water uptake can be omitted; whereas, at low trench exfiltration rates (1.8 mm·h−1, without an underdrain), both the water-holding capacity of the trench substrate and the potential tree water uptake have a significant influence and cannot be omitted.

Depollution of first flush urban runoff in a field-scale bioretention cell adapted to semi-arid climates

Depollution of first flush urban runoff in a field-scale bioretention cell adapted to semi-arid climates

Nitrogen removal performance of bioretention cells under polyethylene (PE) microplastic stress

The use of bioretention cells as a stormwater control measure allows stormwater runoff to be collected and filtered, effectively removing microplastics and other pollutants from stormwater. This study investigated the effect of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) retention on the bioretention cell, in terms of denitrification performance and microbial community structure. Four PE-MP exposures were compared at different concentrations of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L under alternating dry and wet period conditions. Results showed that the removal efficiency reduced by 14.99%, 28.37% and 18.59% with PE-MP concentrations of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L. The NO3−-N removal efficiency increased by 36.19%, 20.19% and 35.39%. After 8 days of dry conditions, the NO3−-N removal efficiencies of the bioretention cells were reduced by 36.66%, 46.86% and 31.11% compared to those after 2 days of dry conditions. Microbial sequencing results indicated that the accumulation of PE-MPs changed the microbial community structure within the bioretention cell filler material, promoting the growth of bacteria such as Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Furthermore, PE-MPs reduced the relative abundance of nitrifying bacteria (e.g. Nitrospira) within the bioretention cell and promoted denitrifying bacteria (e.g. Dechloromonas and Hydrogenophaga), along with numerous other genera such as Azotobacter and Nocardia.