Innovative anaerobic upflow sludge blanket filtration combined bioreactor for nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater

In this research, a novel laboratory scale anaerobic/upflow sludge blanket filtration combined bioreactor was designed and operated to improve the efficiency of the upflow sludge blanket filtration process for the simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater. The anaerobic/upflow sludge blanket filtration technique was developed by adding an anaerobic reactor to its influent and operated by varying the main process parameters in order to gain the optimum conditions. The results showed that biological removal efficiency of nitrogen and preservation of sludge blanket strongly depend on wastewater characteristics, hydraulic retention time, sludge age and process controlling parameters. The combined bioreactor performed a total nitrogen removal efficiency of 96.6 % with the sludge age of 25 days, total hydraulic retention time of 24 h and optimum “chemical oxygen demand/nitrogen/phosphorus” ratio of 100/ 5/1. This ratio also improved the compaction quality of sludge blanket in the upflow sludge blanket filtration clarifier. The average specific nitrification and denitrification rates occurred during the process can be expressed as 4.43 mg NO_x-N produced/g VSS.d and 5.50 mg NOx-N removed/g VSS.d at the optimum ratio, respectively. To avoid sludge rising due to denitrification process, the optimum total hydraulic retention time of 16 to 24 h was achieved based on the effluent quality. This study suggested that the anaerobic/upflow sludge blanket filtration bioreactor at the optimum operational conditions can be an effective process for removal of nutrients from municipal wastewater.     

Treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater in upflow anaerobic filter under low upflow velocity

The wastewater discharged by poultry slaughterhouse industries are characterized mainly by high biochemical oxygen demand, high suspended solids and complex mixture of fats, proteins and fibers requiring systematic treatment prior to disposal. In this study, the performance of an upflow anaerobic filter reactor for treating Indian poultry slaughterhouse wastewater under low upflow velocity of 1.38 m/day at mesophilic temperature (29-35 °C) was investigated. The reactor was inoculated with anaerobic non-granular sludge from an anaerobic reactor treating the poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. The reactor took 147 days for complete start-up with removal efficiencies of total chemical oxygen demand and soluble chemical oxygen demand of 70 and 79 % respectively. The maximum total chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 78 % was achieved at an organic loading rate of 10.05 kg/m³/day and at an hydraulic retention time of 12 h. The average methane content varied between 46 and 56 % and methane yield at maximum removal efficiency was 0.24 m³ CH₄/kg COD_removed·day. Sludge granules of 1–2 mm were observed in between the packing media. Scanning electron microscope analysis revealed that sludge granules are composed of clumps of Methanosarcina clustered with less intertwined Methanosaeta fibre of granules. The lower velocity used in this study has achieved better performance of the reactor by creating active microbial formation with stable pH upto an organic loading rate of 14.3 kg/m³/day. This has proved that the poultry slaughterhouse wastewater can be treated using anaerobic filter reactor under low upflow velocity.     

Enhanced bioremoval of refractory compounds from dyeing wastewater using optimized sequential anaerobic/aerobic process

The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket process followed by the biological aerated filter process was employed to improve the removal of color and recalcitrant compounds from real dyeing wastewater. The highest removal efficiency for color was observed in the anaerobic process, at 8-h hydraulic retention time, seeded with the sludge granule. In the subsequent aerobic process packed with the microbe-immobilized polyethylene glycol media, the removal efficiency for chemical oxygen demand increased significantly to 75 %, regardless of the empty bed contact time. The average influent non-biodegradable soluble chemical oxygen demand was 517 mg/L, and the average concentration in effluent from the anaerobic reactor was 363 mg/L, suggesting the removal of some recalcitrant matters together with the degradable ones. The average non-biodegradable soluble chemical oxygen demand in effluent from the aerobic reactor was 87, 93, and 118 mg/L, with the removal efficiency of 76, 74, and 67 %, at 24-, 12-, and 8-h empty bed contact time, respectively. The combined anaerobic sludge blanket and aerobic cell-entrapped process was effective to remove the refractory compounds from real dyeing wastewater as well as in reducing organic loading to meet the effluent discharge limits. This integrated process is considered an effective and economical treatment technology for dyeing wastewater.     

SBR、PAC-SBR反应器处理制药废水污泥变化特征

探讨了SBR和PAC-SBR反应器处理盐酸林可霉素原料液生产废水过程中活性污泥特征的变化.随着废水投加量的增加,PAC-SBR反应器的污泥性能始终优于SBR反应器,但是由于盐酸林可霉素原料液生产废水对生物有较强的抑制作用,PAC-SBR反应器和SBR反应器中污泥的活性均发生恶化,COD去除率已明显下降,单独采用SBR或PAC-SBR法处理已难以达到排放标准,必须进行工艺的组合.PAC-SBR反应器较SBR反应器在污泥性质及处理效率上均有一定的改善,对处理盐酸林可霉素原料药生产废水有一定的优势.     

A granulation model using diosgenin wastewater in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

An enhanced start-up of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for diosgenin wastewater treatment was designed and experimentally tested. Gran-ular sludge was formed on day 35 in the reactor with high concentrations of chloride (4000–7000 mg/L) and COD (5000–13000 mg/L) as substrate. A new model for the granulation was proposed which divides the formation of anaerobic granules into six consecutive stages; they include semi-embryonic granule formation, embryonic granule formation, single-nucleus granule formation, multi-nuclei granule formation, granule growth and granule maturation. A model of the granule structure was also proposed based on scanning electron microscope observation. The microspores occurring on the surface and further leading into the interior of the granules were considered as the channels and the passage of the materials and the products of the microorganisms’ metabolism inside the granules.     

Moving bed biofilm reactor to treat wastewater

This review carries out a comparative study of advanced technologies to design, upgrade and rehabilitate wastewater treatment plants. The study analyzed the relevant researches in the last years about the moving bed biofilm reactor process with only attached biomass and with hybrid biomass, which combined attached and suspended growth; both could be coupled with a secondary settling tank or microfiltration/ultrafiltration membrane as a separation system. The physical process of membrane separation improved the organic matter and NH₄ ⁺-N removal efficiencies compared with the settling tank. In particular, the pure moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor showed average chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand on the fifth day and total nitrogen removal efficiencies of 88.32, 90.84 and 60.17%, respectively, and the hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor had mean chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand on the fifth day and total nitrogen reduction percentages of 91.18, 97.34 and 68.71%, respectively. Moreover, the hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor showed the best efficiency regarding organic matter removal for low hydraulic retention times, so this system would enable the rehabilitation of activated sludge plants and membrane bioreactors that did not comply with legislation regarding organic matter removal. As the pure moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor performed better than the hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor concerning the total nitrogen removal under low hydraulic retention times, this system could be used to adapt wastewater treatment plants whose effluent was flowed into sensitive zones where total nitrogen concentration was restricted. This technology has been reliably used to upgrade overloaded existing conventional activated sludge plants, to treat wastewater coming from textile, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, paper mill or hospital effluents, to treat wastewater containing recalcitrant compounds efficiently, and to treat wastewater with high salinity and/or low and high temperatures.     

异波折板多段两相厌氧城市污水处理工艺试验研究

提出了异波折板多段两相厌氧城市污水处理工艺。通过反应器内异波折板的结构设计、液相流速设计和系统内生物相的分段调控,在提高传质效率的同时,使不同种群微生物的生化活性得到明显改善,有机污染物去除效率显著提高。实验结果表明,当水力停留时间大于10 h时,COD的去除率可达90%以上,而且受温度影响很小。     

Kinetic analysis of enhanced biological phosphorus removal in a hybrid integrated fixed film activated sludge process

Hybrid integrated fixed film activated sludge is a promising process for the enhancement of nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal in conventional activated sludge systems that can be used for upgrading biological nutrient removal, particularly when they have space limitations or need modifications that will require large monetary expenses. In this research, successful implementation of hybrid integrated fixed film activated sludge process at temperate zone wastewater treatment facilities has been studied by the placement of fixed film media into aerobic, anaerobic and anoxic zones. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the incorporation of enhanced biological phosphorus removal into hybrid integrated fixed film activated sludge systems and study the interactions between the fixed biomass and the mixed liquor suspended solids with respect to substrate competition and nutrient removal efficiencies. A pilot-scale anaerobic-anoxic-oxic configuration system was used. The system was operated at different mean cell residence times and influent chemical oxygen demand/total phosphorus ratios and with split influent flows. The experimental results confirmed that enhanced biological phosphorus removal could be incorporated successfully into hybrid integrated fixed film activated sludge system, but the redistribution of biomass resulting from the integration of fixed film media and the competition of organic substrate between enhanced biological phosphorus removal and denitrification would affect performances. Also, kinetic analysis of the reactor with regarding to phosphorus removal has been studied with different kinetic models and consequently the modified Stover-Kincannon kinetic model has been chosen for modeling studies and experimental data analysis of the hybrid integrated fixed film activated sludge reactor.     

固定化生物技术在合成染料废水处理中的应用

在多级折流板反应器生物处理装置中,采用活性炭为载体人工固定化生物处理合成染料废水,出水水质稳定, 出水中的烷烃肽链变短;其对COD_Cr和BOD₅的去除率可达96.46%、99.77% ;对SO^2-₄和钙镁总量的去除效率超过80.37%、78.66%;折流板反应器的容积负荷率N_v可达2.8 kg COD/(d•m³)。活性炭经生物固定化后,不仅不会影响它的处理效果,还会延长活性炭的使用寿命;当冲击性有机负荷发生时,固定化生物活性炭能够承受并能很快恢复。     

新型组合工艺(CSTR-UASBAF-NMBR)处理有机废水实验及数学建模

采用一套新型生物组合工艺(CSTR产酸发酵反应罐-UASBAF复合厌氧反应池-NMBR新型多级环流膜生物反应器)处理玉米深加工企业生产废水。研究结果表明:经过50d的启动期后系统进入稳定运行阶段,在稳定运行的155d内,组合工艺对COD和BOD的去除率高达99.4%和99.8%。基于厌氧消化数学模型(ADM1)和活性污泥数学模型(ASM1)对本组合工艺进行数学模拟研究,结果表明,该模型对每个工艺的出水COD预测平均误差均在15%以内,表明该模型对这套新型工艺具有很好的预测效果。     

连续流态下好氧颗粒污泥的培养及处理制药废水的性能

在上流式好氧颗粒污泥床反应器中, 以厌氧颗粒污泥和好氧絮状活性污泥为接种泥, 采用人工配制的模拟废水, 成功培养出性能优异的好氧颗粒污泥.反应器内污泥浓度稳定在5g/L左右, 颗粒污泥粒径为0.5~2.0mm, 当进水COD为2000mg/L, 容积负荷为4.8kg/(m3·d)时, 系统对COD的去除率稳定在96%以上.通过扫描电镜观察, 好氧颗粒污泥是层状结构, 表面有大量丝状菌缠绕, 内部有短杆菌和空穴存在.逐步提高制药废水在进水中的比例, 经过47d的培养, 生物制药废水完全取代模拟废水, 系统对COD、NH₃-N、TP的去除率分别稳定在90%、90%和70%以上.      

Application of waterworks sludge in wastewater treatment plants

The potential for reuse of iron-rich sludge from waterworks as a replacement for commercial iron salts in wastewater treatment was investigated using acidic and anaerobic dissolution. The acidic dissolution of waterworks sludge both in sulphuric acid and acidic products such as flue gas washing water and commercial iron solution was successful in dissolving the iron from waterworks sludge. The anaerobic dissolution of waterworks sludge due to co-digestion with biological sludge (primary and biological activated sludge) resulted in reduction of iron, increase in dissolved iron(II), increase in pH due to the produced alkalinity from dissolution of iron(III)hydroxides from waterworks sludge, lower internal recirculation of phosphate concentration in the reject water and reduced sulphide in the digested liquid. However, recirculation of the produced soluble iron(II) as an iron source for removal of phosphate in the wastewater treatment was limited, because the dissolved iron in the digester liquid was limited by siderite (FeCO₃) precipitation. It is concluded that both acidic and anaerobic dissolution of iron-rich waterworks sludge can be achieved at the wastewater treatment plant, and are economically and environmentally more favourable compared to deposition of the waterworks sludge in controlled landfills.     

Decolourisations and biodegradations of model azo dye solutions using a sequence batch reactor,followed by ultrafiltration

The main objective of this study was to investigate the efficiency of biological treatment of azo dye-containing wastewater with a sequencing batch reactor system, followed by ultrafiltration. The performance of the system was quantified by measuring the chemical oxygen demand and azo dye concentration. The biodegradation was carried out under combined alternating anaerobic and aerobic conditions with Nylosan Yellow E2RL SGR as a model azo dye contaminant. The bioprocess revealed a maximal reduction in chemical oxygen demand and dye removal efficiency of 91 and 85%, respectively. After ultrafiltration of effluent from the biological treatment, the efficiency increased to 94% for chemical oxygen demand and to 97% for the azo dye decolourisation. Samples of activated sludge from the bioprocess were collected for microbial characterisation. Bacteria and fungi were isolated and identified by 16S rRNA gene and ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 sequence analysis, respectively. Serratia marcescens and Klebsiella oxytoca were the most common bacteria with the highest number present during the aerobic and anaerobic phases of the bioprocess. In addition, a high number of Elizabethkingia miricola, Morganella morganii, Comamonas testosteroni, Trichosporon sp. and Galactomyces sp. were detected. Taken together, our results demonstrated that the sequencing batch reactor system combined with ultrafiltration is an efficient technique for treatment of wastewater containing azo dye. Moreover, the ultrafiltration effectively removes the microbiota from the final effluent resulting in stable product water.     

连续流气提式流化床启动过程中好氧颗粒污泥的形成机制

探讨连续流气提式好氧颗粒污泥流化床(CAFB)反应器的运行特征,对该工艺颗粒污泥形成过程、形成机理和颗粒性质进行分析。以市政污泥为接种污泥,以醋酸钠为碳源,在连续运行方式下培养好氧颗粒污泥。研究结果表明：CAFB反应器启动的第4－5天即有大量颗粒污泥形成,颗粒直径800~1 000 μm,比重1.006,生物相丰富,能够分泌大量胞外聚合物。当COD有机负荷高达8 和13 kg/(m³·d)时,对COD处理效率均维持在93%~97%,COD出水质量浓度仅为30~80 mg/L,引起启动后期丝状菌的大量繁殖,污泥流失。进一步提高污泥负荷有望控制污泥膨胀。     

Applicability of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for typical sewage of a small community: its biomass reactivation after shutdown

In this study, the characteristics of sewage of small community were determined for 6 months to ascertain the type of treatment required in subtropical conditions. The results demarcated sewage of this community as a medium-strength wastewater (chemical oxygen demand: 475 mg/L, biochemical oxygen demand: 240 mg/L and total suspended solids: 434 mg/L). Chemical oxygen demand to sulphate ratio of the sewage (11.6) established that it was amenable to anaerobic digestion. The temperature, strength, biodegradability and components of sewage were suitable for anaerobic digestion, and thus, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) was selected for its treatment. These reactors are often shutdown in small communities due to environmental and/or socio-economic factors. The ability of two UASB reactors, seeded with cow dung (UASB_CD) and activated sludge of a dairy treatment plant (UASB_ASDIT) to restart after a long idle period of 12 months, was investigated along with sludge analysis by scanning electron microscope. Biomass in both reactors reactivated rapidly after shutdown period and within 30 days after substrate feeding achieved uniform removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, chloride and oil and grease. Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of both reactors became uniform and remained close to 80% after 30 days through reactivation of microbes in sludge bed due to adequate food and temperature conditions. During restart-up, at an average organic loading rate of 0.902 kg COD/m³ per day, methane yields of 0.091 and 0.084 m³/kg COD removed were achieved for UASB_CD and UASB_ASDIT reactors, respectively.     

吗啉废水的生化处理工艺

以含有吗啉、甲基吗啉的高浓度有机废水为研究对象,提出了曝气吹脱-吸附-生物处理的联合工艺,并在室内进行了小试实验。结果表明：原废水经过2次曝气吹脱后,ρ(NH₃-N)从62 500 mg/L降为431 mg/L,ρ(COD)从50 840 mg/L降为26 051 mg/L。通过吸附实验,ρ(COD)从26 051 mg/L降为2 769 mg/L,ρ(NH₃-N)从412 mg/L降为134 mg/L。在生物处理室内小试实验中,采用了活性污泥反应器与曝气生物滤池相结合的处理工艺。在活性污泥反应系统中,当废水pH为7.5、ρ(DO)为4.3 mg/L、水力停留时间为30 h时,COD的去除率最高,可以达到83.1%。在曝气生物滤池中,当ρ(DO)为3.3 mg/L时,COD去除率最高,达到55.8%。在生物处理的最佳参数条件下进行连续监测,当进水ρ(COD)为2 769 mg/L、出水ρ(COD)平均值为387 mg/L时,COD去除率可达到85.9%。吗啉废水经过此联合工艺的处理,ρ(COD)从50 840 mg/L降为387 mg/L。     

Mechanism of efficient nutrient removal and microbial analysis of a combined anaerobic baffled reactor–membrane bioreactor process

A combined ABR–MBR process consisting of an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) combined with an aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating municipal wastewater was investigated at controlled pH range 6.5–8.5 and at constant temperature 25 ± 1 °C. Total nitrogen (TN), ammonia (NH₄ ⁺–N), total phosphorus (TP), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal performances were evaluated by analyzing the mechanism for efficient nutrient removal. The results showed that the average removal rates of COD, NH₄ ⁺–N, TN, and TP reached 93, 99, 79, and 92 %, respectively, corresponding with the COD, NH₄ ⁺–N, TN, and TP effluent of 24 (18–31), 0.4 (0–0.8), 10.6 (8.8–12.9), and 0.31 (0.1–0.5) mg/L under the operational condition of hydraulic retention time (HRT) 7.5 h, recycle ratio 200 %, and dissolved oxygen 3 mg/L. The MBR enhanced NH₄ ⁺–N, TN, and TP removal rates of 13, 10, and 18 %, respectively, and the membrane retention reduced TP 0.17 mg/L. The process was able to maintain a stable performance with high-quality effluent. Analysis of the results by fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, and phosphorus accumulating organisms as percentages of all bacteria in each compartment was stable. The enriched microorganisms in the system appear to be the main drivers of the process efficient for nutrient removal.     

Physicochemical and biological treatability studies of urban solid waste leachate

In this research, physical, chemical and biological treatability of Tehran solid waste leachate was studied. Results indicate that the amount of COD for the fresh raw leachate of Tehran is equal to 66,608 mg/l. The leachate is transferred to an equalization tank for storage and pH control process. After neutralization, leachate is introduced to an up flow and down flow anaerobic reactor. The effluent of anaerobic reactor is conducted to a sequencing batch reactor. Sequence batch reactor (SBR) effluent was pumped in to sand and activated carbon filters, after chemical coagulation and clarification. Results showed that anaerobic reactor with detention time of 3 days had a 35% COD removal and increasing the detention time to 4.5 days would improve the COD removal to 45%. Nutrient adjustment with phosphorus and nitrogen increased the initial 23% efficiency of sequence batch reactor to 44%. The effluent COD of SBR reactor was 21,309 mg/l. Recycling of aerobic reactor effluent with incoming feed to anaerobic reactor reduced the anaerobic reactor influent COD to 20,000 mg/l and this caused 53% and 57% COD removal in the anaerobic and aerobic effluent, respectively. The total systems COD performance increased to 80% and SBR effluent COD eventually reduced to 4,000 mg/l. Coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation processes were practiced to make the 4,000 mg/l effluent COD comply with environmental standards of Iran. The optimum coagulant found to be ferric chloride with the dosage of 50 mg/l at pH of 12, which reduced 10% of COD to an amount of 3,676 mg/l. The effluent was stored in a tank and then pumped in to pressure sand filter and afterwards to activated carbon filter. The COD removal was three and 90% for sand and activated carbon filters, respectively. The total process reduced the remaining COD to 36 mg/l, which is in compliance with environmental standards of Iran.     

Enhancement of removal efficiency of ammonia nitrogen in sequencing batch reactor using natural zeolite

Two sets of lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBR), i.e., control SBR and SBR using zeolite as carrier (zeo-SBR), were applied to assess nitrogen removal efficiency. The test results revealed that zeolite powder added in SBR could improve its performance. Due to the combination of zeolite adsorption for NH₄ ⁺–N and enhanced simultaneous nitrification and de-nitrification (SND), a higher removal ratio of ammonia nitrogen in wastewater was observed in the test reactor, and the introduction of zeolite powder was helpful to inhabit sludge bulging comparing with the control SBR, in other words, activated sludge immobilized by zeolite powder could remove NH₄ ⁺–N, COD, and PO₄ significantly in a shorter cycle time. Applied two hydraulic retention times (HRTs) showed that the nitrogen and phosphorus removal could be improved while adapting to load variations.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Inoculum</Emphasis>-free start-up of biofilm- and sludge-based deammonification systems in pilot scale

Undiluted reject water from the dewatering of anaerobic sludge with an average total nitrogen content of 718 ± 117 mg L^?1 (n = 63) was used to start-up autotrophic nitrogen removal in three different pilot-scale (3 m³) deammonification configurations: (1) biofilm; (2) activated sludge sequence batch; and (3) two-staged (nitritation–anammox). Time- and concentration-based aeration control with alternating aerobic/anaerobic phases was applied for all reactor configurations. All reactors were initiated without anammox-specific inoculum, and biofilm was grown onto blank carriers. During the initial start-up period, biological nitrogen removal was found to be inhibited by an excessive free ammonia content (>10 mg-N L^?1), resulting from the use of high-strength reject water as the process feed. After implementation of free ammonia control by pH adjustment to 6.5–7.5, propagation of the deammonification process was observed with increased nitrogen removal with slight accumulation of NO₃ ^?–N. The highest total nitrogen removal rates were achieved with the single-reactor biofilm- and sludge-based deammonification processes (1.04 and 0.30 kg-N m^?3 day^?1, respectively). The critical factors for successful start-up and stable operation of deammonification reactors turned out to be control of pH below 7.5, dissolved oxygen at 0.3–0.8 mg-O₂ L^?1 and influent solids values below 1000 nephelometric turbidity units. Microbial analysis demonstrated that highest anammox enrichment was achieved in the biofilm reactor (9.40 × 10⁸ copies g^?1 total suspended solids). These data demonstrate the potential of an in-situ grown sludge- or biofilm-based concept for the development and propagation of deammonification process.