Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series

Biochar for stormwater management: Challenges in translating success from the laboratory to the field

Please join us on March 16, 2023 at 10a CST for the next Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series event - a monthly experience featuring national, state, and local experts on stormwater and green infrastructure. This seminar series is a partnership between the University of Minnesota's St. Anthony Falls Laboratory and Water Resources Center, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and made possible through the Minnesota Stormwater Research and Technology Transfer Program in collaboration with the Minnesota Stormwater Research Council. 

Title:  Biochar for stormwater management: Challenges in translating success from the laboratory to the field

Keynote Speaker: Bridget Ulrich, Environmental Chemistry Program Research Leader, University of Minnesota Duluth

Abstract: Biochar is a charcoal-like substance produced by the thermal decomposition of biomass. Long utilized as a soil amendment for its moisture retention properties and stable carbon content, biochar has recently gained substantial attention as a novel stormwater filter material. Numerous studies have demonstrated the utility of biochar to treat a broad array of contaminants; including nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, pathogens, organic carbon, and organic contaminants. While the literature demonstrates a striking understanding and ability to control and tune these removal processes at the laboratory scale, application at the field scale has resulted in challenges and mixed success. What is getting lost in translation?

This seminar will provide an overview of the utility of biochar as a media amendment for enhancing contaminant removal in stormwater filtration systems. Two case studies spanning from laboratory-scale testing to mesocosm- or demonstration-scale performance evaluation will be presented, which resulted in mixed success. These case studies demonstrate that biochar selection is a critical component of the design process, and warrant additional work to specify biochar properties that can indicate performance according to application-specific requirements. The seminar will conclude with a summary of lessons learned and best-practice recommendations for future applications.

Date and Time: Thursday, March 16, 2023, 10a - 12pm CST 

In-person: St. Anthony Falls Laboratory Auditorium (2 Third Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN) 

Online: https://z.umn.edu/mn-stormwater-seminar-series  (active 10 minutes prior) 

Registration:  Register

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is a state agency committed to ensuring that every Minnesotan has healthy air, sustainable lands, clean water, and a better climate.

Manage preferences    |   Help   |   pca.state.mn.us