scholarly journals Tertiary nutrient removal from wastewater by immobilised microalgae: impact of wastewater nutrient characteristics and hydraulic retention time (HRT)

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Whitton ◽  
Martina Santinelli ◽  
Marc Pidou ◽  
Francesco Ometto ◽  
Rita Henderson ◽  
...  

Abstract Immobilising microalgal cells has been proposed as a process solution to overcome the barriers associated with the implementation of microalgae for wastewater remediation. This work evaluated the performance and remediation mechanisms of immobilised microalgae for continuous wastewater treatment under varying hydraulic retention times (HRT). Three domestic secondary wastewaters with differing concentrations of orthophosphate (PO4-P), ammonium (NH4-N) and nitrate (NO3-N) were treated by Scenedesmus obliquus immobilised within 2% calcium alginate. Trials were run in continuous operation at HRTs of 3, 6, 12 and 20 h. Removal rates for PO4-P improved with increasing HRT, with minimum residual concentrations of 0.3–3.1 mg·L−1 observed at 3 h and 0.01–0.2 mg·L−1 at 20 h. Ammonium remediation was not linked to HRT or NH4+ concentration with minimum residual concentrations of <0.001 mg·L−1. Reduction in NO3-N improved with increasing HRT, with minimum residual concentrations of ≤19.3 at 3 h and ≤0.4 mg·L−1 at 20 h. Remediation was achieved through a combination of mechanisms including biological uptake and precipitation as a by-product of photosynthesis and nutrient metabolism. As such, immobilised microalgae have been proven to be an effective alternative solution for PO43− and NH4+ remediation of wastewater effluents at HRTs of 6–12 h.

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 165-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Medina ◽  
U. Neis

Algal incorporation into the biomass is important in an innovative wastewater treatment that exploits the symbiosis between bacterial activated sludge and microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris sp. Hamburg). It allows a good and easy algae separation by means of clarification. The effect of process parameters food to microorganisms ratio (F/M) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the process performance, evaluated by settleability, microalgae incorporation to biomass and nutrient removal, was studied. HRT hinted at a significant influence in the growth rate of algae, while F/M turned out to be important for stability when algae are incorporated into the biomass. This parameter also affects the total nitrogen removal of the treatment. Stable flocs with incorporated algae and supernatants with low free swimming algae concentrations were obtained at high HRT and low F/M values.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Donghan Kang ◽  
Keugtae Kim

Algal–bacterial consortium is a promising technology, combined with wastewater treatment plants, because algae produce molecular oxygen for nitrification and organic removal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, algal–bacterial consortia based on suspended growth require a relatively long hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4 d to 6 d for removal of organic matter and nutrients. For the algal–bacterial consortia in a photobioreactor (PBR) containing a moving bed, the organic matter and nutrient removal and the community structure of algal–bacterial consortia were investigated to determine the performance under a relatively short HRT of 2.5 d. Moving media containing algal–bacterial consortia enhanced the photosynthetic oxygen concentration (0.2 mg dissolved oxygen (DO)·L−1 to 5.9 mg DO·L−1), biochemical oxygen demand removal (88.0% to 97.2%), ammoniacal nitrogen removal (33.8% to 95.3%), total nitrogen removal (61.6% to 87.7%), total phosphate removal (66.4% to 88.7%), algal growth (149.3 mg algae·L−1 to 285.4 mg algae·L−1), and settleability (algae removal efficiency of 20.6% to 71.2%) compared with those of a PBR without moving media (SPBR). Although biomass uptake was the main mechanism for nutrient removal in the SPBR, both biomass uptake and denitrification were the main mechanisms in the PBR with moving media (MBPBR). The bacterial community also changed under the moving media condition. This study shows that moving media might be an essential parameter for PBRs with a short HRT to enhance nutrient removal and settleability.


1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 53-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Rabinowitz ◽  
T. D. Vassos ◽  
R. N. Dawson ◽  
W. K. Oldham

A brief review of recent developments in biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal technology is presented. Guidelines are outlined of how current understanding of these two removal mechanisms can be applied in the upgrading of existing wastewater treatment plants for biological nutrient removal. A case history dealing with the upgrading of the conventional activated sludge process located at Penticton, British Columbia, to a biological nutrient removal facility with a design flow of 18,200 m3/day (4.0 IMGD) is presented as a design example. Process components requiring major modification were the headworks, bioreactors and sludge handling facilities.


1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 211-216
Author(s):  
Niels Skov Olesen

In some areas of Denmark nutrient removal is required even for very small wastewater plants, that is down to 500 pe (pe = person equivalents). The goal for the removal is 80% removal of nitrogen and 90% removal of phosphorus, or in terms of concentrations: 8 mg nitrogen/l and 1.2 mg phosphorus/l. The inlet concentrations are typically 40 mg N/l and 10 mg P/l. The paper presents the results from two such plants with a capacity of 800 pe. Phosphorus removal is made by simultaneous precipitation with ferrous sulphate. Nitrogen removal is carried out using the recirculation method. Both plants were originally rotor aerated oxidation ditches. They have been extended with a denitrification reactor and a recirculation pumping station. At present both plants have been in activity for about 3 years and with satisfactory results. Average concentrations of nitrogen (summer) and phosphorus is 7 mg/l and 0.9 mg/l respectively. Nitrogen removal seems to be a practical solution on these small plants. It is,though, sensitive to temperature and highly oxidized rain water. Phosphorus removal seems to be an easily run and relatively non-sensitive technique at least when using simultaneous precipitation.


1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 135-142
Author(s):  
E. Görgün ◽  
N. Artan ◽  
D. Orhon ◽  
R. Tasli

Effective nitrogen removal is now required to protect water quality in sensitive coastal areas. This involves a much more difficult treatment process than for conventional domestic sewage as wastewater quantity and quality exhibits severe fluctuations in touristic zones. Activated sludge is currently the most widely used wastewater treatment and may be upgraded as a predenitrification system for nitrogen removal. Interpretation of nitrification and denitrification kinetics reveal a number of useful correlations between significant parameters such as sludge age, C/N ratio, hydraulic retention time, total influent COD. Nitrogen removal potential of predenitrification may be optimized by careful evaluation of wastewater character and the kinetic correlations.


1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 125-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Carnimeo ◽  
E. Contini ◽  
R. Di Marino ◽  
F. Donadio ◽  
L. Liberti ◽  
...  

The pilot investigation on the use of UV as an alternative disinfectant to NaOCI was started in 1992 at Trani (South Italy) municipal wastewater treatment plant (335 m3/h). The results collected after six months continuous operation enabled us to compare UV and NaOCl disinfection effectiveness on the basis of secondary effluent characteristics, quantify photoreactivation effects, evidence possible DBP formation and assess costs.


1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vibeke R. Borregaard

In the upgrade of wastewater treatment plants to include biological nutrient removal the space available is often a limiting facor. It may be difficult to use conventional suspended growth processes (i.e. activated sludge) owing to the relatively large surface area required for these processes. Recent years have therefore seen a revived interest in treatment technologies using various types of attached growth processes. The “new” attached growth processes, like the Biostyr process, utilise various kinds of manufactured media, e.g. polystyrene granules, which offer a high specific surface area, and are therefore very compact. The Biostyr plants allow a combination of nitrification-denitrification and filtration in one and the same unit. The results obtained are 8 mg total N/l and an SS content normally below 10 mg/l. The plants in Denmark which have been extended with a Biostyr unit have various levels of PLC control and on-line instrumentation.


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