Optimized Filtrations for Stormwater Quality Improvement by Porous Media–Biochar Applications: Column Experiments and Inverse Modeling

Stormwater reuse plays a critical role under changing climates and increasing water demands. This study investigates the removal efficacy of lead (Pb2+) and ammonia (NH3) using sand and rice husk (RH) biochar for potential stormwater quality improvements and treatments. Column experiments combined with HYDRUS inverse modeling were conducted to optimize adsorption isotherms from breakthrough curves. Among linear and non-linear models, the Langmuir and Freundlich models performed better for sand and biochar, respectively. RH biochar showed much higher adsorption capacity of both Pb2+ (4.813 mg/g) and NH3 (6.188 mg/g). In contrast, sand showed a relatively limited adsorption capacity for Pb2+ (0.118 mg/g) and NH3 (0.104 mg/g). This can be contributed to higher pore size distribution, surface area, and the presence of different functional groups of biochar. The optimized adsorption coefficients and adsorption capacity parameters of sand and RH biochar by inverse modeling provided useful input for improving field designs. These findings will enhance the development of the best management practices (BMPs) for managing heavy metal and solute pollution in groundwater or stormwater low-impact development (LID) infrastructure systems.