Denitrification and a numerical modelling approach for shallow waters

Abstract

A numerical model (`DiffDeni') has been developed to describe the disappearance of nitrate from the water column of 10–200 cm deep waters. The disappearance is caused by bacterial denitrification in the sediments. The model employs the molecular diffusion constant, an acceleration factor describing eddy diffusion, and three bacterial growth constants, viz. the inoculum size, the maximum growth rate and the half saturation constant for the hyperbolic process. The values of these system-constants were varied over a wide range. The curves obtained were compared with the curves for well-defined situations, viz. in which diffusion takes place without any or with a complete, immediate reaction. These cases have analytical solutions, and were simulated closely by the model `DiffDeni', though this model is based on different assumptions. It is shown that, when the bacterial growth rate is above a critical value, a negative exponential curve describes the nitrate disappearance well. On the other hand, a more complicated negative exponential equation can be used to describe the first phase of this denitrification in which bacterial activity is low and nitrate behaves as a conservative compound. The change-over period from phase 1 (no reaction) to phase 2 (complete, immediate reaction) which may vary between <1 and 50 days cannot be described analytically (mathematically correctly). The influence of temperature on denitrification is assessed and it is shown that both bacterial activity and diffusion may influence the denitrification rate.