Simultaneous Removal of Soluble Metal Species and Nitrate from Acidic and Saline Industrial Wastewater in a Pilot Scale Biofilm Reactor

Abstract Α pilot scale packed-bed biofilm reactor was set up and monitored for the treatment of wastewater originating from the hydrometallurgical recovery of metals from printed circuit boards (PCBs). The wastewater is characterized by: (a) low pH, (b) residual soluble metal species and (c) elevated concentrations of nitrate and chloride originating from the use of nitric and hydrochloric acid as leaching agents. Such wastewater could be treated in a bioreactor capable for the simultaneous removal of metals and nitrates, through complete denitrification, in presence of elevated chloride concentrations. However, the possible inhibitory effects of metals as well as the metals bioprecipitation should be investigated experimentally. Biological denitrification was studied under extreme conditions in the bioreactor inoculated with Halomonas denitrificans: at (a) pH 3-8; (b) metal content (Cu, Ni, Zn and Fe) at 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L, respectively (c) nitrate concentration 750-5,750 mg/L NO3- and (d) chloride concentration 5%-10% as NaCl. According to the results, denitrification proceeds rapidly through the formation of nitrite as intermediate which is sequentially reduced completely to nitrogen. The presence of metals does not affect the denitrification process. Iron, zinc, copper and nickel are sequestered from the wastewater via bioprecipitation. Both goals, namely metals removal and complete reduction of nitrate in presence of elevated concentrations of chloride, were successfully achieved by the treatment scheme. The proposed simple, robust and low-cost biological treatment unit is advantageous compared to the conventional wastewater treatment, based on metal precipitation via chemical neutralization, where the problem of nitrate removal remains unresolved.

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Simultaneous Removal of Soluble Metal Species and Nitrate from Acidic and Saline Industrial Wastewater in a Pilot-Scale Biofilm Reactor

Environmental Processes ◽

10.1007/s40710-021-00536-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Panagiota Mendrinou ◽

Artin Hatzikioseyian ◽

Pavlina Kousi ◽

Paschalis Oustadakis ◽

Petros Tsakiridis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Industrial Wastewater ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Biofilm Reactor ◽

Metal Species ◽

Simultaneous Removal

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Novel biofilm reactor for denitrification of municipal wastewater

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2018.433 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 78 (7) ◽

pp. 1566-1575 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

S. S. Rathnaweera ◽

B. Rusten ◽

K. Korczyk ◽

B. Helland ◽

E. Rismyhr

Keyword(s):

Carbon Source ◽

Municipal Wastewater ◽

Low Cost ◽

Oxygen Demand ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Biofilm Reactor ◽

Treated Wastewater ◽

Removal Rates ◽

Good Filter ◽

Solids Removal

Abstract A pilot-scale CFIC® (continuous flow intermittent cleaning) reactor was run in anoxic conditions to study denitrification of wastewater. The CFIC process has already proven its capabilities for biological oxygen demand removal with a small footprint, less energy consumption and low cost. The present study focused on the applicability for denitrification. Both pre-denitrification (pre-DN) and post-denitrification (post-DN) were tested. A mixture of primary treated wastewater and nitrified wastewater was used for pre-DN and nitrified wastewater with ethanol as a carbon source was used for post-DN. The pre-DN process was carbon limited and removal rates of only 0.16 to 0.74 g NOx-N/m²-d were obtained. With post-DN and an external carbon source, 0.68 to 2.2 g NO3-Neq/m²-d removal rates were obtained. The carrier bed functioned as a good filter for both the larger particles coming with influent water and the bio-solids produced in the reactor. Total suspended solids removal in the reactor varied from 20% to 78% (average 45%) during post-DN testing period and 9% to 70% (average 29%) for pre-DN. The results showed that the forward flow washing improves both the DN function and filtration ability of the reactor.

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Surveying Denitrification Efficacy in Up-Flow Packed Bed Bioreactor Operated under Heterotrophic Condition Using Autotrophic Bacteria

Journal of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development ◽

10.18502/jehsd.v4i3.1502 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Ali Asghar Neshat ◽

Abdomajid Gholizadeh ◽

Babak Jahed ◽

Pouria Nikvand

Keyword(s):

Acetic Acid ◽

Carbon Source ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Nitrate Removal ◽

Packed Bed ◽

Critical Issue ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Aqueous Environment ◽

Packed Bed Bioreactor ◽

Autotrophic Bacteria

Introduction: The biological denitrification process is an interesting cost-effective technique to remove nitrate from water supplies. Acetic acid can be used as a carbon source in this process, but its consumption rate is a critical issue and, in some cases, it is quite different from stoichiometric constants. The current study aimed to investigate the nitrate removal in an up-flow packed bed bioreactor. Furthermore, various parameters affecting this process were investigated and optimized. In this study, the autotrophic bacteria were used for the heterotrophic process. Materials and Methods: Initially, the autotrophic bacteria were cultured and used for the following heterotrophic conditions in distinct reactors. A pilot-scale anoxic up flow bioreactor packed was constructed using the polyethylene media and applied to remove nitrate from the aqueous environment. Consequently, the effects of hydraulic retention times (HRT) and different acetic acid concentrations as carbon source were evaluated. During the study, the amounts of alkalinity, pH, temperature, and nitrate were checked. Results: The designed bioreactor removed an average of over 88% of nitrate, while the acetic acid consumption was 2 mg/mg NO3-N, which was lower than the stoichiometric constant for heterotrophic process. Moreover, in the three studied HRTs (1.5, 3, and 5 h), the Alkalinity increased from 14.2 to 19.8 %. Conclusion: The results of this study showed high efficiency in nitrate removal via heterotrophic denitrification using acetic acid as carbon source for autotrophic bacteria.

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Comparing heterotrophic and hydrogen-based autotrophic denitrification reactors for effluent water quality and post-treatment

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2012.138 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 227-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Youneng Tang ◽

Michal Ziv-El ◽

Kerry Meyer ◽

Chen Zhou ◽

Jung Hun Shin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Packed Bed ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Biofilm Reactor ◽

Effluent Water ◽

Membrane Biofilm Reactor ◽

Plate Counts ◽

Biodegradable Dissolved Organic Carbon ◽

The Impact

This work compares a pilot-scale H2-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) and a pilot-scale packed-bed heterotrophic reactor (PBHR) for denitrification of nitrate-contaminated groundwater. The comparison includes the effluent water quality of the denitrification reactors (NO3−, NO2−, dissolved oxygen, SO42−, (biodegradable) dissolved organic carbon, heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), turbidity, NH4+, and pH), and the impact of post-treatment on water quality. At the same nitrate carrier-surface loading, effluent water quality was generally better directly from the MBfR than from the PBHR. However, post treatment including an ozone-contact tank and a post-filter brought the finished-water quality for both systems to roughly the same level, which met all drinking water standards except for HPC.

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Pretreatment of Poultry Processing Wastewater in a Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Filter

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1990.0061 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 22 (9) ◽

pp. 9-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

S. R. Harper ◽

C. C. Ross ◽

G. E. Valentine ◽

F. G. Pohland

Keyword(s):

Retention Time ◽

Low Cost ◽

Packed Bed ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Laboratory Scale ◽

Packed Bed Reactor ◽

Processing Plant ◽

Oil And Grease ◽

Working Volume ◽

Poultry Processing

Wastewater from a typical poultry processing plant in the southeastern U.S.A. was treated on site with a pilot-scale anaerobic packed-bed reactor. The reactor had a working volume of 3.2 m3, was filled with 15-cm diameter polyethylene random-pack media, and was operated at 35°C with a retention time of 21 hours and at a loading rate of 2.8 kgCOD/m3d−1. Under these conditions, treatment efficiencies were sufficient to meet typical surcharge-free municipal discharge requirements, with effluent soluble COD of 440 mg/L, soluble BOD5 of 190 mg/L, fats, oil and grease (FOG) of 10 mg/L, and total suspended solids of 140 mg/L. Results from pilot operation are compared to those of previous laboratory-scale studies, where similar results were obtained with less than half of the hydraulic retention time. Differences in treatment on pilot vs. laboratory scale were largely due to differences in wastewater variability and reactor operation. Recommendations for future studies to reduce the costs of treatment, including emphasis on types of low-cost packing, amounts of packing media, and heating requirements are presented.

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Integrated constructed wetland systems: design, operation, and performance of low-cost decentralized wastewater treatment systems

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2007.140 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 55 (7) ◽

pp. 155-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

L.L. Behrends ◽

E. Bailey ◽

P. Jansen ◽

L. Houke ◽

S. Smith

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Constructed Wetland ◽

Low Cost ◽

Nitrate Removal ◽

Systems Design ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Ammonia Nitrogen ◽

Surface Flow ◽

Treatment Technology ◽

Decentralized Market

Several different types of constructed wetland systems are being used as decentralized treatment systems including surface-flow, subsurface-flow, vertical-flow, and hybrid systems. Archetypical wetland systems have design strengths and weaknesses, and therefore it should be possible to design combined (integrated) systems to optimize a number of important treatment processes. This study provides comparative efficacy data for two integrated wetland treatment systems (IWTS) designed to enhance treatment of medium strength wastewater generated from a pilot-scale intensive fish farm. Results from the twenty eight months study included consistently high removal of COD (84%+) and ammonia nitrogen (93%) in both systems. Initially, phosphorus removal was also high (>90%) in both systems, but removal efficacy declined significantly over time. Nitrate removal was significantly better in the system that provided sequential aerobic and anoxic environments. Short hydraulic retention times coupled with sustained removal of COD and ammonia indicate that the ReCip components could be a least-cost wastewater treatment technology in the decentralized market sector.

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SIMULTANEOUS REMOVAL OF ASTRAZONE BLUE AND LEAD ONTO LOW COST ADSORBENTS BASED ON POWER PLANT ASH

Environmental Engineering and Management Journal ◽

10.30638/eemj.2011.050 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 341-347 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Maria Harja ◽

Marinela Barbuta ◽

Lacramioara Rusu ◽

Corneliu Munteanu ◽

Gabriela Buema ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Power Plant ◽

Low Cost ◽

Simultaneous Removal ◽

Power Plant Ash ◽

Plant Ash

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Dehumidification of Moist Air with Simultaneous Removal of Selected Indoor Pollutants by Triethylene Glycol Solutions in a Packed-Bed Absorber

Separation Science and Technology ◽

10.1080/01496399508010378 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 30 (7-9) ◽

pp. 1807-1832 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Tsair-Wang Chung ◽

Tushar K. Ghosh ◽

Anthony L. Hines ◽

Davor Novosel

Keyword(s):

Triethylene Glycol ◽

Packed Bed ◽

Simultaneous Removal ◽

Moist Air ◽

Indoor Pollutants

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INTEGRATING NANOSCALE ZERO-VALENT IRON AND TITANIUM DIOXIDE FOR NUTRIENT REMOVAL IN STORMWATER SYSTEMS

NANO ◽

10.1142/s1793292008001295 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 03 (04) ◽

pp. 297-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

NI-BIN CHANG ◽

MARTY WANIELISTA ◽

FAHIM HOSSAIN ◽

LEI ZHAI ◽

KUEN-SONG LIN

Keyword(s):

Titanium Dioxide ◽

Water Reuse ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Chemical Reduction ◽

Nitrate Removal ◽

Packed Bed ◽

The United States ◽

Zero Valent Iron ◽

Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron ◽

Freshwater Bodies

Nutrients, such as nitrate, nitrite, and phosphorus, are common contaminants in many aquatic systems in the United States. Ammonia and nitrate are both regulated by the drinking water standards in the US primarily because excess levels of nitrate might cause methemoglobinemia. Phosphorus might become sources of the eutrophication problems associated with toxic algae in the freshwater bodies. Toxic algal blooms can cause severe acute and chronic public health problems. Chemical reduction of nitrate by using zero-valent iron started as early as 1964, and considerable research reports relating to this technology to nanomaterial were extensively reported in 1990s making the use of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles for nitrate removal become one of the most popular technologies in this field. The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential of integrating green sorption media, such as sawdust, limestone, tire crumb, and sand/silt, with two types of nanoparticles, including NZVI and Titanium Dioxide ( TiO 2), for nitrate removal in an engineering process. The study consists of running packed bed column tests followed by the addition of NZVI and TiO 2 to improve nitrate and phosphorus removal efficiency. Preliminary results in this paper show that the potential and advanced study may support the creation of design criteria of stormwater and groundwater treatment systems for water reuse in the future.

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