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Gutiérrez MC, Cáceres A, Herruzo-Ruiz AM, Siles JA, Vázquez F, Alhama J, Michán C, Martín MA. Assessment of nitrification process in a sequencing batch reactor: Modelling and genomic approach. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 246:118035. [PMID: 38199477 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.118035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Nitrification of ammoniacal nitrogen (N-NH4+) to nitrate (N-NO3-) was investigated in a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to evaluate its efficiency. During the nitrification process the removal of N-NH4+ reached 96%, resulting in 73% formation of N-NO3-. A lineal correlation (r2 = 0.9978) was obtained between the concentration of volatile suspended solids (VSS) and the maximal N-NO3- concentration at the end of each batch cycle under stationary state. The bacterial taxons in the initial inoculum were identified, revealing a complex diverse community mainly in the two major bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The FAPROTAX algorithm predicted the presence in the inoculum of taxa involved in relevant processes of the nitrogen metabolism, highlighting the bacterial genera Nitrospira and Nitrosomonas that are both involved in the nitrification process. A kinetic model was formulated for predicting and validating the transformation of N-NH4+, N-NO2- and N-NO3- and the removal of organic and inorganic carbon (TOC and IC, respectively). The results showed how the increase in biomass concentration slowed down the transformation to oxidised forms of nitrogen and increased denitrification in the settling and filling stages under free aeration conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Gutiérrez
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Area of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Químico para la Energía y el Medioambiente (IQUEMA), Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, University of Cordoba, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, Carretera N-IV, km 396, edificio Marie Curie, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - A Cáceres
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Area of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Químico para la Energía y el Medioambiente (IQUEMA), Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, University of Cordoba, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, Carretera N-IV, km 396, edificio Marie Curie, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - A M Herruzo-Ruiz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Cordoba, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, edificio Severo Ochoa, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - J A Siles
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Area of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Químico para la Energía y el Medioambiente (IQUEMA), Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, University of Cordoba, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, Carretera N-IV, km 396, edificio Marie Curie, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - F Vázquez
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, 14071, Spain
| | - J Alhama
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Cordoba, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, edificio Severo Ochoa, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - C Michán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Cordoba, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, edificio Severo Ochoa, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - M A Martín
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Area of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Químico para la Energía y el Medioambiente (IQUEMA), Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, University of Cordoba, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, Carretera N-IV, km 396, edificio Marie Curie, 14071, Córdoba, Spain.
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Manu DS, Thalla AK. Influence of various operating conditions on wastewater treatment in an AS-biofilm reactor and post-treatment using TiO 2-based solar/UV photocatalysis. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2019; 40:1271-1288. [PMID: 29272217 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2017.1420697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, the effect of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, suspended biomass concentration (X), hydraulic retention time (HRT) and dissolved oxygen (DO) on chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nutrient removal from wastewater was investigated in a lab-scale activated sludge (AS)-biofilm reactor. Furthermore, in order to improve the quality of the treated wastewater, photocatalysis by TiO2 was investigated as a post-treatment technology, using solar and UV irradiations. The AS-biofilm reactor provided a substantial removal efficiency in terms of COD, ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) , total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous when the system was maintained at C/N ratio 6.66, X in the range 2-2.5 g/L, HRT 10 h, DO in the range of 3.5-4.5 mg/L and organic loading rate (OLR) of 0.96 kg COD/m3 d during Run 1. Similarly, when the reactor was maintained at C/N ratio 10, X in the range of 3-3.5 g/L, HRT 8 h, DO in the range of 3.5-4.5 mg/L and OLR of 1.8 kg COD/m3 d during Run 2. The microstructure of suspended and attached biomass comprised a dense bacterial structure of cocci and bacillus microorganisms. The UV photocatalysis was found to be better than solar photocatalysis during the comparative analysis. The maximum removal efficiencies of COD, most probable number and phosphorous at optimum conditions in the case of UV and solar irradiations were 72%, 95%, 52% and 71%, 99%, 50%, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- D S Manu
- a Department of Civil Engineering , National Institute of Technology Karnataka , Mangalore , India
| | - Arun Kumar Thalla
- a Department of Civil Engineering , National Institute of Technology Karnataka , Mangalore , India
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Zou J, Li J, Ni Y, Wei S. Enhancing nitrogen removal from low carbon to nitrogen ratio wastewater by using a novel sequencing batch biofilm reactor. J Environ Sci (China) 2016; 50:32-37. [PMID: 28034428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2016.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Removing nitrogen from wastewater with low chemical oxygen demand/total nitrogen (COD/TN) ratio is a difficult task due to the insufficient carbon source available for denitrification. Therefore, in the present work, a novel sequencing batch biofilm reactor (NSBBR) was developed to enhance the nitrogen removal from wastewater with low COD/TN ratio. The NSBBR was divided into two units separated by a vertical clapboard. Alternate feeding and aeration was performed in the two units, which created an anoxic unit with rich substrate content and an aeration unit deficient in substrate simultaneously. Therefore, the utilization of the influent carbon source for denitrification was increased, leading to higher TN removal compared to conventional SBBR (CSBBR) operation. The results show that the CSBBR removed up to 76.8%, 44.5% and 10.4% of TN, respectively, at three tested COD/TN ratios (9.0, 4.8 and 2.5). In contrast, the TN removal of the NSBBR could reach 81.9%, 60.5% and 26.6%, respectively, at the corresponding COD/TN ratios. Therefore, better TN removal performance could be achieved in the NSBBR, especially at low COD/TN ratios (4.8 and 2.5). Furthermore, it is easy to upgrade a CSBBR into an NSBBR in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinte Zou
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Jun Li
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yongjiong Ni
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Su Wei
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China
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Forrest D, Delatolla R, Kennedy K. Carrier effects on tertiary nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactor: An examination of performance, biofilm and biologically produced solids. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2015; 37:662-671. [PMID: 26256510 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2015.1077272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Increasingly stricter ammonia and nitrogen release regulations with respect to wastewater effluents are creating a need for tertiary treatment systems. The moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is being considered as an upgrade option for an increasing number of wastewater treatment facilities due to its small footprint and ease of operation. Despite the MBBRs creation as a system to remove nitrogen, recent research on MBBR systems showing that the system's performance is directly related to carrier surface area and is irrespective of carrier shape and type has been performed exclusively on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal systems. Furthermore, the influence of carrier type on the solids produced by MBBR systems has also been exclusively studied for COD removal systems. This work investigates the effects of three specific carrier types on ammonia removal rates, biofilm morphology, along with solids production and settleability of tertiary nitrifying MBBR systems. The study concludes that carrier type has no significant effect on tertiary nitrifying MBBR system performance under steady, moderate loading conditions. The research does however highlight the propensity of greater surface area to volume carriers to become clogged under high loading conditions and that the high surface area carriers investigated in this study required longer adjustment periods to changes in loading after becoming clogged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daina Forrest
- a Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , ON , Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Robert Delatolla
- a Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , ON , Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Kevin Kennedy
- a Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , ON , Canada K1N 6N5
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