Moving Denitrifying Bioreactors Beyond Proof of Concept

Nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) dynamics in agricultural settings are central to the global issues of food production and environmental pollution. Low-impact technologies are being sought to limit the gaseous release of these elements, which contribute to climate change and poor nutrient-use efficiency. Most technologies trialed to date have involved the application of chemical inhibitors to retard N mineralization processes. While some of these approaches have been effective in certain contexts, there is concern regarding the environmental persistence of these chemicals and their effects on agricultural ecosystems as well as human health.