• New water-treatment system removes nitrogen, phosphorus from farm tile drainage

    Feb 27, 2026 3:45 pm by Diana YatesSustainable Technology Center
    Researchers hold pelletized biochar

    The research team, led by Illinois Sustainable Technology Center research scientist Wei Zheng, left, and ISTC postdoctoral researcher Hongxu Zhou, added a “designer biochar” water-treatment component to a standard woodchip bioreactor to address the dual problems of nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from the farm. Photo by Michelle Hassel

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    • Researchers hold pelletized biochar

    Scientists have developed a new edge-of-field water-treatment system that reduces the load of excess nutrients washing into waterways from farm drainage systems. Their method combines a woodchip bioreactor with a two-step biochar water-treatment module. A one-year field trial demonstrated that the system reduced both nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from farmland.