Preliminary biomass characterization in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor

The paper reports the results of an investigation aimed to evaluate the influence of hydrodynamic conditions on physical and biochemical characteristics of granular sludge obtained in a SBBR system. Biomass density resulted very high, i.e. 70-125 gTSS/L(biomass), and this permitted to achieve a biomass concentration such high as 17-45 gTSS/L(bed). An appropriate equation proved that the pressure loss, an easily measurable parameter, can be used for biomass porosity measurement and indirect assessment of biomass concentration in the biofilter. As for biomass biochemical characterisation, the EPS (Extracellular Polymeric Substances) content was rather low (5-7% of the total organic matter) and mostly made up of proteins whereas the cellular protein content, a parameter frequently used as an indicator of microorganisms activity, was high (30-60% of total organic matter).     

Mixed- and plug-flow performances of an anaerobic biofilter treating 2-ethylhexanoic acid

The performance of a 20-L anaerobic biofilter treating 2-ethyl-hexanoic acid (2-EHA) operating with the effluent recirculated was compared with that of the same biofilter operated without any recirculation. The recirculation of effluent was at a rate of 60 L/h through the biofilter. Tracer experiments were carried out to study the hydrodynamics in the biofilter under different modes of operation. The dispersion number (D/UL) obtained from these tracer experiments for the biofilter operated with and without effluent recirculation were 0.65 and 0.06, respectively. These values show that the recirculation was effective in achieving a mixed-flow pattern in the biofilter, whereas the biofilter operated without recirculation was essentially a plug-flow column with a moderate level of axial dispersion. The feed consisted of 2-EHA at a concentration of 8200 mg/L, which is equivalent to a COD of 20,000 mg/L. The optimal performance of the mixed-flow biofilter was at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1.1 d, with a COD removal efficiency of 92.8% and a biogas production rate of 6.44 L/L biofilter vol/d. The biofilter failed at 0.83 d HRT, as a result of washout of biomass at this high hydraulic loading rate. By comparison, the optimal performance achieved for the plug-flow system was at 2 d HRT. The COD removal efficiency was 74.1%, and biogas production rate was 2.13 L/L biofilter vol/d. When the HRT was lowered to 1.5 d, failure occurred owing to inhibition as indicated by the low methane yield of 0.192 L/g COD removed. The superior performance of the mixed-flow mode can be attributed to the presence of the recycle stream, which diluted and evenly distributed the feed.     

Pretreatment of swine wastewater using anaerobic filter

Efforts were made to assess the efficiency of an anaerobic filter packed with porous floating ceramic media and to identify the optimum operational condition of anaerobic filter as a pretreatment of swine wastewater for the subsequent biological removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. A stepwise decrease in hydraulic retention time (HRT) and an increase in organic loading rate (OLR) were utilized in an anaerobic filter reactor at mesophilic temperature (35°C). The optimum operating condition of the anaerobic filter was found to be at an HRT of 1 d. A soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 62% and a total suspended solids removal efficiency of 39% at an HRT of 1 d were achieved with an OLR of 16.0 kg total COD/(m³·d), respectively. The maximum methane production rate approached 1.70 vol of biogas produced per volume of reactor per day at an HRT of 1 d. It was likely that the effluent COD/total Kjeldahl nitrogen ratio, of 22, the COD/total phosphorous ratio of 47, and the high effluent alkalinity >2500 mg/L as CaCO₃ of the anaerobic filter operated at an HRT of 1 d was adequate for the subsequent biological removal of nitrogen and phosphorus.     

Olive mill wastewater treatment by a pilot-scale subsurface horizontal flow (SSF-h) constructed wetland

Performances of a pilot-scale reed bed for the olive mill wastewater (OMW) treatment were investigated, by monitoring influent and effluent pH, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus and polyphenols. In order to reduce the suspended matter concentration and to avoid clogging, OMW was pre-treated by adding lime putty, calcium hydroxide and hydraulic lime. The best results were obtained with 2 g/L of hydraulic lime. Pre-treated OMW was dosed in the reed bed at dilution ratios of 1/3 and 1/10 (v/v), pointing up that the latter only did not give rise to reed suffering and allowed to obtain good and durable removal efficiencies, above all for COD (74.1+/-17.6%) and polyphenols (83.4+/-17.8%). Recycling of the effluent was quite effective for the improvement of the wastewater quality, allowing a further removal of 26-70%, depending on the parameter taken into account. A post-dosage study, carried out by feeding the reed bed with the effluent of an activated sludge plant, pointed up a rapid decreasing of the outlet concentrations of the investigated parameters to values compatible with Italian regulations concerning wastewater discharge in surface water. Polyphenols were the exception, being their outlet concentration at the end of post-dosage study around 2 mg/L.     

Analysis of performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor submitted to increasing organic load with different influent concentrations and cycle lengths

The performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) was assessed when submitted to increasing organic load with different influent concentrations and cycle lengths. The 5-L mechanically stirred (75 rpm) ASBR contained 2 L of granular biomass and treated 2 L of synthetic wastewater per cycle. Volumetric organic loads (VOLs) from 0.66 to 2.88 g of chemical oxygen demand (COD)/(L x d) were applied by using influent concentrations from 550 to 3,600 mg of COD/L in 8- and 12-h cycles. Reactor stability was maintained for VOLs from 0.66 to 2.36 g of COD/(L x d), with organic matter removal efficiencies for filtered samples (epsilonF) between 84 and 88%. For VOLs from 0.78 to 2.36 g of COD/(L x d) at an influent concentration of 2,000 mg of COD/L, when cycle length was reduced from 12 to 8 h, epsilonF did not vary, yet showed a very distinct behavior from the other conditions. In addition, two operation strategies were studied for VOLs with approximately similar values of 2.36 and 2.08 g of COD/(L x d). One involved operation with an influent concentration of 2,000 mg of COD/L and an 8-h cycle, whereas the other involved an influent concentration of 2,600 mg of COD/L and a 12-h cycle. Only the former resulted in system stability and efficiency. These results indicate that besides organic load, influent concentration and cycle length play a significant role in ASBR systems.     

AnSBBR Applied to a Personal Care Industry Wastewater Treatment: Effects of Fill Time,Volume Treated Per Cycle,and Organic Load

A study was performed regarding the effect of the relation between fill time, volume treated per cycle, and influent concentration at different applied organic loadings on the stability and efficiency of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor containing immobilized biomass on polyurethane foam with recirculation of the liquid phase (AnSBBR) applied to the treatment of wastewater from a personal care industry. Total cycle length of the reactor was 8 h (480 min). Fill times were 10 min in the batch operation, 4 h in the fed-batch operation, and a 10-min batch followed by a 4-h fed batch in the mixed operation. Settling time was not necessary since the biomass was immobilized and decant time was 10 min. Volume of liquid medium in the reactor was 2.5 L, whereas volume treated per cycle ranged from 0.88 to 2.5 L in accordance with fill time. Influent concentration varied from 300 to 1,425 mg COD/L, resulting in an applied volumetric organic load of 0.9 and 1.5 g COD/L.d. Recirculation flow rate was 20 L/h, and the reactor was maintained at 30 °C. Values of organic matter removal efficiency of filtered effluent samples were below 71% in the batch operations and above 74% in the operations of fed batch followed by batch. Feeding wastewater during part of the operational cycle was beneficial to the system, as it resulted in indirect control over the conversion of substrate into intermediates that would negatively interfere with the biochemical reactions regarding the degradation of organic matter. As a result, the average substrate consumption increased, leading to higher organic removal efficiencies in the fed-batch operations.     

AnSBBR Applied to the Treatment of Metalworking Fluid Wastewater: Effect of Organic and Shock Load

An investigation was performed regarding the application of a mechanically stirred anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor containing immobilized biomass on inert polyurethane foam (AnSBBR) to the treatment of soluble metalworking fluids to remove organic matter and produce methane. The effect of increasing organic matter and reactor fill time, as well as shock load, on reactor stability and efficiency have been analyzed. The 5-L AnSBBR was operated at 30?°C in 8-h cycles, agitation of 400 rpm, and treated 2.0 L effluent per cycle. Organic matter was increased by increasing the influent concentration (500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 mg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L). Fill times investigated were in the batch mode (fill time 10 min) and fed-batch followed by batch (fill time 4 h). In the batch mode, organic matter removal efficiencies were 87%, 86%, and 80% for influent concentrations of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mgCOD/L (1.50, 3.12, and 6.08 gCOD/L.d), respectively. At 3,000 mgCOD/L (9.38 gCOD/L.d), operational stability could not be achieved. The reactor managed to maintain stability when a shock load twice as high the feed concentration was applied, evidencing the robustness of the reactor to potential concentration variations in the wastewater being treated. Increasing the fill time to 4 h did not improve removal efficiency, which was 72% for 2,000 mgCOD/L. Thus, gradual feeding did not improve organic matter removal. The concentration of methane formed at 6.08 gCOD/L was 5.20 mmolCH₄, which corresponded to 78% of the biogas composition. The behavior of the reactor during batch and fed-batch feeding could be explained by a kinetic model that considers organic matter consumption, production, and consumption of total volatile acids and methane production.     

Energy generation by methanation of persistent wastes

A 15-L anaerobic fixed-film reactor (AFFR) was evaluated for treating a trade effluent containing inhibitory concentrations of persistent branched-chain fatty acids, namely 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA) and neopentanoic acid (NPA), at a total of 17,000 mg COD/L. The AFFR was packed with fire-expanded clay spheres, and start-up was accomplished in 60 d. The organic load was increased in steps from 1.1 to 8.5 g COD/L/d. Total COD, 2-EHA, and NPA removal efficiencies were maintained above 70, 98, and 75%, respectively. The reactor could recover from a shock load of 150% increase in organic load. Combined mechanisms of organic adsorption and biodegradation rendered the AFFR more stable with shock loads. Mathane gas produced from the process could be used for preheating the effluent.     

Efficient photocatalytic treatment of sugar mill wastewater with 2%Ag3PO4/Fe/GTiP nanocomposite

The large amount of colored substances exist in the sugar mills wastewater that give higher organic load to the effluent. Therefore, a novel study of sugar mill wastewater treatment was carried out under photocatalysis by using a nanocomposite of silver phosphate-iron-graphene oxide-titanium phosphate (Ag₃PO₄/Fe/GTiP). The catalyst was prepared by simple chemical process with 2% content of Ag₃PO₄ to Fe/GTiP. The light, catalyst dosage, pH, and scavenger impacts on the decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal from the sugar mill wastewater were observed. The highest decolorization and COD removal of 85.02% and 80.3% was achieved under pH-1 by using 50 W visible halogen light at catalyst dosage of 100 mg/75 ml in 200 min. The excellent recycled results were observed up to four cycles. The obtained results proves that this catalyst has high photocatalytic efficiency to treat the sugar mill wastewater.     

UF-两段厌氧处理茶多酚废水的研究

采用前置超滤膜(UF)的两相厌氧工艺对原水COD为18362.6mg/L,荼多酚为3608.3mg/L、色度为2624.2倍的茶多酚生产废水进行为期90d的实验研究.结果表明,当实验压力为0.2Mpa时,膜组件对COD去除率为63.4%,茶多酚去除率为95.1%,色度去除率为93.4%.然后,对两相厌氧工艺的投配率、P含量和酸化段水力停留时间(HRT1)对废水COD、色度与茶多酚去除率和产气率的影响进行了研究.当投配率为15.0%、P含量为38.1mg/L、HRT1=24h,该工艺达到最佳处理效果,出水COD为1288.1mg/L,COD去除率为80.8%,色度为95.6倍,色度去除率为44.6%,残余茶多酚为119.8mg/L,茶多酚去除率为32.3%,产气率为0.85m3/kg COD,与未采用UF预处理的两相厌氧水解工艺相比,COD、色度和荼多酚去除率分别提高23.40%,10.2%和1613%,产气率增加0.15m3/kg COD.     

Application of ion-chromatography for the determination of the organic-group parameters AOCl, AOBr and AOI in water

A method of differential AOX-analysis, i.e. the simultaneous determination of AOCl, AOBr and AOI is described. Individual steps of the method including enrichment at activated carbon, combustion in an oxygen stream and ion-chromatographic detection were optimized. In most cases quantitative recoveries of various organic Cl, Br and I containing substances of different polarity and structure were obtained. The method was applied to the determination of AOX-fractions in municipal and hospital wastewater. A good agreement between conventional coulometric and the described ion-chromatographic determination was found. High concentrations up to 130 μg/L I of organic iodine compounds were measured in the influent and effluent of a municipal treatment plant in Berlin and up to 10 mg/L I in a hospital wastewater.     

Removal of chemical oxygen demand,nitrogen, and heavy metals using a sequenced anaerobic-aerobic treatment of landfill leachates at 10-30 degrees C

As a first step of treatment of landfill leachates (total chemical oxygen demand [COD]: 1.43–3.81 g/L; total nitrogen: 90–162 mg/L), performance of laboratory upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactors was investigated under mesophilic (30°C), submesophilic (20°C), and psychrophilic (10°C) conditions. Under hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of about 0.3 d, when the average organic loading rates (OLRs) were about 5 g of COD/(L·d), the total COD removal accounted for 81% (on average) with the effluent concentrations close to the anaerobic biodegradability limit (0.25 g of COD/L) for mesophilic and submesophilic regimes. The psychrophilic treatment conducted under an average HRT of 0.34 d and an average OLR of 4.22 g of ducted under an average HRT of 0.34 d and an average OLR of 4.22 g of COD/(L·d) showed a total COD removal of 47%, giving effluents (0.75 g of COD/L) more suitable for subsequent biologic nitrogen removal. All three anaerobic regimes used for leachate treatment were quite efficient for elimination of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd) by concomitant precipitation in the form of insoluble sulfides inside the sludge bed. The application of aerobic/anoxic biofilter as a sole polishing step for psychrophilic anaerobic effluents was acceptable for elimination of biodegradable COD and nitrogen approaching the current standards for direct discharge of treated waste-water.     

Treatment options for tannery wastewater II: integrated chemical and biological oxidation

This is the second of two papers each dealing with a specific technological option for replacing the Fenton's reagent with simpler processes for treating industrial wastewater. In particular, the paper reports the results of an investigation aimed to check, at lab scale, the effectiveness of an alternative wastewater treatment combining biological degradation and chemical oxidation with ozone. The treatment was carried out in a lab scale hybrid reactor fed with the biological stage effluent of a plant treating the wastewater of a large tanning district in Central Italy whose residual COD result still higher than the Italian COD Maximum Allowable Concentration (MAC) value (i.e., 160 mgO2/L) The results are very promising, considering that a removal efficiency of 41% (as COD) has been achieved by treating an influent characterized by a COD content fully biorefractory. In addition, the proposed treatment presents the significant advantage of no additional sludge production, as happens with commonly utilized tertiary processes (i.e. Fenton), that is characterized by high chemical sludge production.     

Treatment of dairy wastewater using a selected bacterial isolate, Alcaligenes sp. MMRR7

Physicochemical and biologic analysis of dairy wastewater showed that the effluent had a high organic load (chemical oxygen demand [COD]: 5095 mg/L), an acidic pH (6.4), and a high probability of coliforms (most probable number [MPN]>1100). The various bacterial strains isolated and purified were identified as Sporolactobacillus sp., Citrobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp., Alcaligenes sp., Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., and Proteus sp., as per the Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology. Among the five selected bacterial strains, the strain designated as MMRR₇ and identified as Alcaligenes sp. was found to give a maximum reduction in COD (62%) in 5 d of incubation. Chemical coagulation using alum at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 mL was found to be effective in the primary treatment of the effluent. Studies on free-cell treatment of the coagulated effluent with the selected bacterial strain Alcaligenes sp. MMRR₇ gave a maximum COD reduction of 91% in 120 h. This study clearly indicates the possibility of using Alcaligenes sp. MMRR₇ for the effective treatment of dairy wastewater.     

Performance and Microbial Diversity of Aerated Trickling Biofilter Used for Treating Cheese Industry Wastewater

Wastewater discharged from cheese industries is often characterized by high values of organic pollutants, solids, and nutrients. An aerated trickling biofilter using peat and perlite as filter media was employed in a pilot-scale level in order to evaluate the performance of biofilter for removal of pollutants from cheese industry wastewater. The biofilter was operated for a period of 33 days under laboratory conditions, and several parameters were monitored. The results showed a significant improvement in the quality of treated effluent. The maximum removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand were 99.2 and 99.9 %, respectively. Significant reduction in total suspended solids (>96 %) was also achieved. A stable ammoniacal-nitrogen (NH₄-N) removal was accompanied by biofilter. On an average, NH₄-N and total nitrogen decreased by 98.7 and 72 %, respectively, with a significant portion of NH₄-N being converted to nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N). Also, a molecular approach based on 16S rDNA was employed to analyze the bacterial community composition present in the biofilter. A comparative sequence analysis of excised denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis bands revealed the presence of diverse groups of bacteria belonging to α- and β-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes phylum. We conclude from the results that the use of trickling biofilter is highly effective and a potential treatment method for polishing cheese industry wastewater before being discharged into the local environment.     

Application of ion-chromatography for the determination of the organic-group parameters AOCl, AOBr and AOI in water

A method of differential AOX-analysis, i.e. the simultaneous determination of AOCl, AOBr and AOI is described. Individual steps of the method including enrichment at activated carbon, combustion in an oxygen stream and ion-chromatographic detection were optimized. In most cases quantitative recoveries of various organic Cl, Br and I containing substances of different polarity and structure were obtained. The method was applied to the determination of AOX-fractions in municipal and hospital wastewater. A good agreement between conventional coulometric and the described ion-chromatographic determination was found. High concentrations up to 130 microg/L I of organic iodine compounds were measured in the influent and effluent of a municipal treatment plant in Berlin and up to 10 mg/L I in a hospital waste-water.     

Two-step upflow anaerobic sludge bed system for sewage treatment under subtropical conditions with posttreatment in waste stabilization ponds

A pilot-scale sewage treatment system consisting of two upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactors followed by five waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) in series was studied under subtropical conditions. The first UASB reactor started up in only 1 mo (stable operation, high chemical oxygen demand [COD] removal efficiency, low volatile fatty acids concentration in the effluent, alkalinity ratio above 0.7, biogas production above 0.1 Nm3/kg of CODremoved). Removal efficiencies up to 90% were obtained in the anaerobic steps at a hydraulic retention time of 6 + 4 h (80% removal in the first step). Fecal coliform removal in the whole system was 99.9999% (99.94% in anaerobic steps and 99.98% in WSPs). COD balances over UASB reactors are provided. A minimum set of data necessary to build COD balances is proposed. Intermittent sludge washout was detected in the reactors with the COD balances. Sludge washout from single-step UASB reactors should be monitored and minimized in order to ensure constant compliance with discharge standards, especially when no posttreatment is provided. The system combined high COD and fecal coliform removal efficiency with an extremely low effluent concentration, complying with discharge standards, and making it an attractive option for sewage treatment in subtropical regions.     

Sustainable treatment and reuse of diluted pig manure streams in Russia: from laboratory trials to full-scale implementation

This article summarizes the results obtained during the laboratory and pilot development of integrated biologic and physicochemical treatment and reuse of diluted pig manure streams. The application of a straw filter was an effective means to separate the solid and liquid fractions of raw wastewater and resulted in the removal of a significant part of the dry matter, total nitrogen, and phosphorus (65, 27, and 32%, respectively). From the filtrate generated, 60–80% of the total chemical oxygen demand (COD) was removed in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor operating at 15–30°C. Ammonia was efficiently eliminated (>99%) from the anaerobic effluents using Ural laumantite as an ion exchanger. However, the nitrogen-content of the zeolite was too low to consider this method of ammonia removal economically feasible. The phosphate precipitation block, consisting of stripper of CO₂ and fluidized-bed crystallizator, was able to decrease the concentration of soluble phosphate in the anaerobic effluents up to 7–15 mg of phosphate/L. The application of aerobic/anoxic biofilter as a sole polishing step was acceptable from an aesthetic point of view (the effluents were transparent and almost colorless and odorless) and elimination of biochemical oxygen demand (the resting COD was hardly biodegradable). However, the effluent nutrient concentrations (especially nitrogen) were far from the current standards for direct discharge of treated wastewater. We discuss the approaches for further improvement of effluent quality. Finally, we provide an outline of a full-scale system that partially implements the laboratory- and pilot-scale results obtained.     

Development and validation of a rapid and wide-scope qualitative screening method for detection and identification of organic pollutants in natural water and wastewater by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In this work, a multiclass screening method for organic contaminants in natural and wastewater has been developed and validated for qualitative purposes, i.e. to ensure the reliable and sensitive identification of compounds detected in samples at a certain level of concentration. The screening is based on the use of GC-TOF MS, and the sample procedure involves solid phase extraction with C(18) cartridges. Around 150 organic contaminants from different chemical families were investigated, including PAHs, octyl/nonyl phenols, PCBs, PBDEs and a notable number of pesticides, such as insecticides (organochlorines, organophosphorus, carbamates and pyrethroids), herbicides (triazines and chloroacetanilides), fungicides and several relevant metabolites. Surface water, ground water and effluent wastewater were spiked with all target analytes at three concentration levels (0.02, 0.1 and 1 μg/L). Influent wastewater and raw leachate from a municipal solid waste treatment plant were spiked at two levels (0.1 and 1 μg/L). Up to five m/z ions were evaluated for every compound. The identification criterion was the presence of, at least, two m/z ions at the expected retention time, measured at their accurate mass, and the accomplishment of the Q/q(i) intensity ratio within specified tolerances. The vast majority of compounds investigated were correctly identified in the samples spiked at 1 μg/L. When analyte concentration was lowered down to 0.1 μg/L the identification was more problematic, especially in complex-matrix samples like influent wastewater. On the contrary, many contaminants could be properly identified at the lowest level 0.02 μg/L in cleaner matrices. The procedure was applied to the screening of water samples of different origin and matrix composition and allowed the detection of several target contaminants. A highly reliable identification could be carried out thanks to the sensitive full-spectrum acquisition at accurate mass, the high selectivity reached with the use of narrow-mass window extracted ion chromatograms, the low mass errors observed in the positive detections and the Q/q ratio accomplishment.     

Treatment of coke plant wastewater by A/O fixed biofilm system

The long-term environmental impacts of wastewa-ter from coke plant can be very high, especially due to the discharge of large amounts of wastewater. The composition of coke plant wastewater is complicated and varies from one factory to another, depending …