Biofilm Fixed Film Systems

Overview and Challenges of Large-Scale Cultivation of Photosynthetic Microalgae and Cyanobacteria

Microalgae and cyanobacteria are diverse groups of organisms with great potential to benefit societies across the world. These organisms are currently used in food, feed, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In addition, a variety of novel compounds are being isolated. Commercial production of photosynthetic microalgae and cyanobacteria requires cultivation on a large scale with high throughput. However, scaling up production from lab-based systems to large-scale systems is a complex and potentially costly endeavor. In this review, we summarise all aspects of large-scale cultivation, including aims of cultivation, species selection, types of cultivation (ponds, photobioreactors, and biofilms), water and nutrient sources, temperature, light and mixing, monitoring, contamination, harvesting strategies, and potential environmental risks. Importantly, we also present practical recommendations and discuss challenges of profitable large-scale systems associated with economical design, effective operation and maintenance, automation, and shortage of experienced phycologists.

Partial denitrification-anammox (PdNA) application in mainstream IFAS configuration using raw fermentate as carbon source

This research examined the feasibility of raw fermentate for mainstream partial denitrification-anammox (PdNA) in a pre-anoxic integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process. Fermentate quality sampled from a full-scale facility was highly dynamic, with 360-940 mg VFA-COD/L and VFA/soluble COD ratios ranging from 24% to 48%. This study showed that PdNA selection could be achieved even when using low quality fermentate. Nitrate residual was identified as the main factor driving the PdN efficiency, while management of nitrate conversion rates was required to maximize overall PdNA rates. AnAOB limitation was never observed in the IFAS system. Overall, this study showed PdN efficiencies up to 38% and PdNA rates up to 1.2 ± 0.7 g TIN/m² /d with further potential for improvements. As a result of both PdNA and full denitrification, this concept showed the potential to save 48-89% methanol and decrease the carbon footprint of water resource recovery facilities (WRRF) by 9-15%. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Application of PdNA with variable quality fermentate is feasible when the nitrate residual concentration is increased to enhance PdN selection. To maximize nitrogen removed through PdNA, nitrate conversion rates need enhancement through optimization of upstream aeration and PdN control setpoints. The IFAS PdNA process was never anammox limited; success depended on the degree of PdN achieved to make nitrite available. Application of PdNA with fermentate can yield 48-89% savings in methanol or other carbon compared with conventional nitrification and denitrification. Integrating PdNA upstream from polishing aeration and anoxic zones guarantees that stringent limits can be met (<5 mg N/L).

Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. removal efficiency of a combined fixed-film system treating domestic wastewater receiving hospital effluent

Giardia and Cryptosporidium have caused numerous outbreaks of diarrhea as a result of the ingestion of water contaminated with sewage. In Brazil, the efficiency of Giardia and Cryptosporidium removal by combined fixed-film systems has rarely been studied. The aims of the present study were therefore to verify the removal efficiency of Giardia and Cryptosporidium by a combined system (anaerobic/anoxic filter and aerated submerged biofilter) and to perform the genetic characterization of these parasites. The (oo)cysts were detected by centrifuge concentration and membrane filtration from raw sewage, effluents, adhered biomass, and sludge samples. Immunofluorescence assay and differential interference contrast microscopy were used for the visualization of the (oo)cysts. Nested PCR was applied to confirm Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected in 27% and 5.5% of the 144 analyzed samples of raw sewage and effluents, respectively. A total of 33,000 cysts/L were recovered in the adhered biomass samples (n = 25) from different points of the aerated submerged biofilter, while 6000 oocysts/L were registered in a single point. An average of 11,800 cysts/L were found in the sludge samples (n = 5). The combined system exhibited a removal efficiency of Giardia cysts of 1.8 ± 1.0 log removal. The C and BIV assemblages of Giardia were identified in the raw sewage while AII was found in the treated effluent sample. It was not possible to calculate the removal efficiency of Cryptosporidium oocysts by the combined system. The combined system exhibited some potential as a suitable treatment for the removal of parasites from sewage.

Operational modifications for the development of nitrifying bacteria in a large-scale biological aerated filter and its impact on wastewater treatment

To develop a better understanding for fixed biomass processes, the development of a nitrifying bacterial biofilm, as well as the performance of treatment during modifications to operational conditions of a full-scale submerged biological filter were examined. The development of the nitrifying biofilm was investigated at four depth levels (1, 2, 4 and 5 feet). The result of bacterial subpopulations analyzed by qPCR relative to the physico-chemical parameters of the wastewater during the various tests (sustained aeration, modified backwash parameters and inflow restriction) revealed an increase of the relative presence of nitrifying microorganisms throughout the biofilm (especially for nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB)), but this was not necessarily accompanied by a better nitrification rate. The highest observed nitrification rate was 49% of removal in the test cell during backwashing conditions, whereas the relative ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) population was 0.032% and NOB was 0.008% of the total biomass collected. The highest percentage of nitrifying bacteria observed (0.034% AOB and 0.18% NOB) resulted in a nitrification rate of 21%. The treatment of organic matter determined by measuring the chemical and biochemical oxygen demand (COD, CBOD₅) was improved.

Influence of the Hybrid Sewage Treatment Plant’s Exploitation on Its Operation Effectiveness in Rural Areas

The article evaluates the effectiveness of the removal of organic pollutants—nitrogen and phosphorus—from household sewage in a hybrid bioreactor with a submerged fixed bed. The experiment was carried out in two exploitation variants that were both conducted in a laboratory model of the hybrid bioreactor: (I) cycles of 120 min of aeration and 60 min of no aeration with a constant sewage dosage, and (II) cycles 60 min of aeration and 60 min of no aeration, with a periodic sewage dosage in the no-aeration phase. The experiment was carried out on real sewage primarily treated in a septic tank. The amount of pollution removal was calculated and compared with the mandatory standards according to Polish law. Moreover, the susceptibility of the sewage to the biological treatment, nitrification, and denitrification activity was determined. The research shows a higher effectiveness for the 60/60 model in comparison to the 120/60 model. High operation efficiency was observed regarding the removal of organic pollution and nitrate nitrogen. The tested structure showed very low nitrification activity combined with intense denitrification. These processes were observed in the 60/60 variant. The structure was often overloaded with the nitrate nitrogen, which was considered to be the nitrification process inhibitor. It was suggested that phosphorus was also removed by the denitrifying bacteria.

Enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal from domestic wastewater via algae-assisted sequencing batch biofilm reactor

This study proposed a potential strategy for enhancement of nutrients removal from domestic wastewater by adding algae to sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) to form a novel algal-bacterial symbiosis (ABS) system. Results indicated that the algae-assisted SBBR increased the total nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies from 38.5% to 65.8%, and from 31.9% to 89.3%, respectively. The carriers fixed at the top of the reactor were favorable for both formation of ABS system and algae enrichment. The chlorophyll-a increased to 3.59 mg/g at stable stage, which was 4.07 times higher than that in suspension. Moreover, the bio-carrier replacement and sludge discharge were independent, indicating that the sludge and algae retention time could be separated. The mechanisms analysis suggested that the enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus mainly attributed to the enrichment of both algae biomass and total biomass in biofilm. This study highlights the significance of developing ABS system for wastewater treatment.

Progress in biocatalysis with immobilized viable whole cells: systems development, reaction engineering and applications

Viable microbial cells are important biocatalysts in the production of fine chemicals and biofuels, in environmental applications and also in emerging applications such as biosensors or medicine. Their increasing significance is driven mainly by the intensive development of high performance recombinant strains supplying multienzyme cascade reaction pathways, and by advances in preservation of the native state and stability of whole-cell biocatalysts throughout their application. In many cases, the stability and performance of whole-cell biocatalysts can be highly improved by controlled immobilization techniques. This review summarizes the current progress in the development of immobilized whole-cell biocatalysts, the immobilization methods as well as in the bioreaction engineering aspects and economical aspects of their biocatalytic applications.

Assessing the treatment of acetaminophen-contaminated brewery wastewater by an anaerobic packed-bed reactor

The treatment of high-strength organic brewery wastewater with added acetaminophen (AAP) by an anaerobic digester was investigated. An anaerobic packed-bed reactor (APBR) was operated as a continuous process with an organic loading rate of 1.5-g COD per litre per day and a hydraulic retention time of three days. The results of steady-state analysis showed that the greatest APBR performances for removing COD and TOC were as high as 98 and 93%, respectively, even though the anaerobic digestibility after adding the different AAP concentrations of 5, 10 and 15 mg L(-1) into brewery wastewater can affect the efficiency of organic matter removal. The average CH4 production decreased from 81 to 72% is counterbalanced by the increased CO2 production from 11 to 20% before and after the injection of AAP, respectively. The empirical kinetic models for substrate utilisation and CH4 production were used to predict that, under unfavourable conditions, the performance of the APBR treatment process is able to remove COD with an efficiency of only 6.8%.

Biofilm-based algal cultivation systems

Biofilm-based algal cultivation has received increased attention as a potential platform for algal production and other applications such as wastewater treatment. Algal biofilm cultivation systems represent an alternative to the suspension-based systems that have yet to become economically viable. One major advantage of algal biofilm systems is that algae can be simply harvested through scraping and thus avoid the expensive harvesting procedures used in suspension-based harvesting such as flocculation and centrifugation. In recent years, an assortment of algal biofilm systems have been developed with various design configurations and biomass production capacities. This review summarizes the state of the art of different algal biofilm systems in terms of their design and operation. Perspectives for future research needs are also discussed to provide guidance for further development of these unique cultivation systems.

Removal of micropollutants during tertiary wastewater treatment by biofiltration: Role of nitrifiers and removal mechanisms

The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which a suite of organic micropollutants (MPs) can be removed by biological filtration and the role of bioavailability and ammonia oxidizing microorganisms (AOMs) in the biodegradation process. During approximately one year, laboratory-scale columns with 8 min empty bed contact time (EBCT) and packed with anthracite as filter media were used for treating a tertiary effluent spiked with a broad range of MPs at a target concentration of 2 μg L(-1). In parallel columns, aerobic biomass growth was inhibited by using either the biocide sodium azide (500 mg L(-1) NaN3) or allylthiourea (5 mg L(-1) ATU), specifically inhibiting nitrifying bacteria. Once the biomass had colonized the media, around 15% of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contained in the untreated tertiary effluent was removed by non-inhibited columns. The removal of several MPs increased over time indicating the relevance of biological activity for the removal of MPs, while the negative control, the NaN3 inhibited column, showed no significant removal. Out of 33 MPs, 19 were recalcitrant (<25%) to biodegradation under aerobic conditions with the others exhibiting a diverse range of removal efficiency up to 95%. Through inhibition by ATU it was shown that nitrifying bacteria were clearly having a role in the degradation of several MPs, whereas the removal of other MPs was not affected by the presence of the nitrification inhibitor. A relationship between the qualitative assessment of sorption of MPs on granular activated carbon (GAC) and their removal efficiency by biodegradation on anthracite was observed. This result suggested that the affinity of the MPs for GAC media could be a useful indicator of the bioavailability of compounds during biofiltration on anthracite.

Study on the factors affecting simultaneous removal of ammonia and manganese by pilot-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) for drinking water pre-treatment

It was demonstrated that simultaneous removal of ammonia and manganese could be accomplished by biological aerated filter (BAF) with low-cost lava as media. Long-term operation performance and impact factors were systematically studied. DGGE analysis demonstrated that ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), manganese oxidizing bacteria (MOB) and simultaneous ammonia and manganese oxidizing bacteria (SAMOB) co-existed in the bio-film. Ammonia and manganese concentration profiles along the height of BAF column, including that in the influent and effluent, were investigated with varying hydraulic loadings, aeration intensities and feed ammonia concentrations. It was inferred that AOB and MOB may have different spatial distribution in vertical direction, and AOB and MOB may compete for oxygen capture or be present on different layers of the bio-films. Further work should focus on the distribution of AOB, MOB and SAMOB in the reactor and optimize it for more efficient mass transfer and better system performance.