Optimizing Bioretention Media to Treat Emerging Contaminants

Stormwater treatment is entering a new phase with stormwater management systems being required to meet specific numeric objectives. Meeting numeric discharge requirements will require designers to better understand and apply the physical, chemical, and biological processes underpinning these treatment technologies. This paper uses an example of an industrial site with a numeric discharge permit to illustrate how this theoretical information can be translated into the design of a bioretention/biofiltration treatment system for not only conventional pollutants, but also emerging contaminants such as dioxin, mercury, and radionuclides.