Author(s): Hui Weng Goh; Tze Liang Lau; Keng Yuen Foo; Chun Kiat Chang; Nor Azazi Zakaria
Linked Author(s): Hui Weng Goh, Tze Liang Lau, Keng Yuen Foo, Chun Kiat Chang, Nor Azazi Zakaria
Keywords: Best management practices (BMPs); Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD); Bioretention media; Stormwater treatment; Water quality
Abstract: Bioretention systemhas become one of the common Best Management Practices (BMPs) for storm water management in Malaysia. As Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) was one of the three major pollutants detected in main rivers in Malaysia, abioretention mesocosm study was conductedto assess the performance of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) removal in bioretention systems. Natural runoff from a mixed development area that consists of residential, commercial and urban agricultural areas was used as influent to compare the effluent quality from two types of enhanced bioretention media using mixtures of shredded newspaper and crushed cockle shell (uniformly mixed and layer mixed) and standard bioretention media. Comparison between vegetated and non-vegetated mesocosm has concluded that mesocosm with vegetation demonstrated better BOD level. Results showed that enhanced bioretention media, especially layer mixed with vegetation media is able to lower the BOD in effluentup to below 1mg/L, which is class I (conservation of natural environment) under National Water Quality Standards for Malaysia. Throughout the 16-week study, the layer mixed with vegetation media has performed 40%better than standard bioretention media, which indicatesits great potential in application to target on nutrient rich runoff treatment.
Year: 2016