Influence of the employment of adsorption and coprecipitation agents for the removal of PPCPs in conventional activated sludge (CAS) systems

2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 728-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Serrano ◽  
J. M. Lema ◽  
F. Omil
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Aeration Tank ◽  
Organic Substances ◽  
Organic Micropollutants ◽  
Conventional Activated Sludge ◽  
Adsorption Capacities ◽  
Recalcitrant Compounds ◽  
Activated Sludge Reactor ◽  
Musk Fragrances

Three activated sludge reactors were operated to improve the removal of organic micropollutants such as Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). Reactor 1 (R1) was operated as a Conventional Activated Sludge reactor (CAS), Reactor 2 (R2) consisted of a CAS unit that was continuously fed with FeCl3 whereas granular activated carbon (GAC) was fed directly into the mixed liquor of Reactor 3 (R3) in order to attain concentrations in the range 100–1,000 mg/L. PPCPs removal rates varied depending on the compound present in each reactor during the entire 220 days of operation. Some substances showed the same behaviour in all reactors, such as the acidic pharmaceuticals naproxen and ibuprofen, which were almost completely removed (>90%). More hydrophobic organic substances, like musk fragrances, were about 90% removed after 40 days of operation in all of the reactors. The main difference between the three reactors was obtained in R3 when the GAC concentrations in the aeration tank were around 500–1,000 mg/L. Under these conditions, the more recalcitrant compounds like diazepam and carbamazepine could be removed by up to 40%, and diclofenac up to 85%. Adsorption isotherms for PPCPs were obtained with activated carbon, and the results were successfully fitted to the Freundlinch equation. The more recalcitrant compounds (carbamazepine, diazepam and diclofenac) had the highest adsorption capacities onto GAC, which is consistent with the behaviour observed in R3 and helps to identify the removal mechanism (adsorption for these compounds, whereas absorption for fragrances).

Comparison of two treatments for the removal of selected organic micropollutants and bulk organic matter: conventional activated sludge followed by ultrafiltration versus membrane bioreactor

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 733-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Sahar ◽  
M. Ernst ◽  
M. Godehardt ◽  
A. Hein ◽  
J. Herr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Bioreactor ◽  
Sewage Treatment Plant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Macrolide Antibiotics ◽  
Organic Micropollutants ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
Conventional Activated Sludge

The potential of membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems to remove organic micropollutants was investigated at different scales, operational conditions, and locations. The effluent quality of the MBR system was compared with that of a plant combining conventional activated sludge (CAS) followed by ultrafiltration (UF). The MBR and CAS-UF systems were operated and tested in parallel. An MBR pilot plant in Israel was operated for over a year at a mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) range of 2.8–10.6 g/L. The MBR achieved removal rates comparable to those of a CAS-UF plant at the Tel-Aviv wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for macrolide antibiotics such as roxythromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin and slightly higher removal rates than the CAS-UF for sulfonamides. A laboratory scale MBR unit in Berlin – at an MLSS of 6–9 g/L – showed better removal rates for macrolide antibiotics, trimethoprim, and 5-tolyltriazole compared to the CAS process of the Ruhleben sewage treatment plant (STP) in Berlin when both were fed with identical quality raw wastewater. The Berlin CAS exhibited significantly better benzotriazole removal and slightly better sulfamethoxazole and 4-tolyltriazole removal than its MBR counterpart. Pilot MBR tests (MLSS of 12 g/L) in Aachen, Germany, showed that operating flux significantly affected the resulting membrane fouling rate, but the removal rates of dissolved organic matter and of bisphenol A were not affected.

A full-scale operation of a novel activated sludge process without excess sludge production

1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 395-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Yasui ◽  
K. Nakamura ◽  
S. Sakuma ◽  
M. Iwasaki ◽  
Y. Sakai
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Inorganic Compounds ◽  
Material Balance ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Aeration Tank ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Activated Sludge Process ◽  
Excess Sludge ◽  
Conventional Activated Sludge ◽  
Operation Costs

The authors have presented a new concept of excess sludge elimination treatment with recirculation of sludge via ozonation in the activated sludge process. This paper is intended to clarify the potential application of the process to municipal and industrial wastewater treatments. In a full-scale operational experiment lasting 10 months under 550 kg/d of BOD loading, no excess sludge was needed to be withdrawn and no significant accumulation of inorganic solids occurred in the aeration tank. Most of the inorganic compounds in the sludge were released to the soluble phase. Material balance indicated that one-third of ozonated sludge was mineralized via the recirculation treatment, and thereby the requirement of sludge mass to be treated was 3.3 times as much as sludge to be eliminated. Effluent TOC was slightly higher than under the conventional activated sludge process, indicating that refractory TOC was released from the sludge eliminated by treatment. The amount of released TOC corresponded to less than 2 weight % of eliminated sludge under recirculation rates below 30% of total biomass in the aeration tank in a day, but increased at higher recirculation rates. The operation costs associated with the process were estimated to be lower than those of conventional dewatering and disposal.

An activated sludge process without excess sludge production

1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 163-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshio Sakai ◽  
Tetsuro Fukase ◽  
Hidenari Yasui ◽  
Masahide Shibata
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
The Other ◽  
Aeration Tank ◽  
Activated Sludge Process ◽  
Organic Substances ◽  
Complete Elimination ◽  
Excess Sludge ◽  
Effluent Quality ◽  
Inorganic Substances

An activated sludge process which produces no excess sludge was developed. The process is very simple as a small amount of return sludge is ozonated and then returned to the aeration tank. The ozonation enhances biodegradability of activated sludge, which is biologically oxidized in the aeration tank. A full-scale plant for treating 450m3/d of municipal wastewater was constructed and has been operated successfully for 9 months. The amount of excess sludge eliminated is directly proportional to the amount of ozone dosed to the sludge. At the ozone dosing rate of 0.034 kg/kg-SS, complete elimination of excess sludge has been achieved when 4 times more amount of sludge is ozonated than that of the excess sludge expected in the treatment without ozonation. After 5 months of operation without any withdrawal of excess sludge, small amount of inorganic substances like sand and silt accumulated in the sludge. On the other hand, inert organic substances does not seem to accumulate. As for effluent quality, BOD and nitrogen were kept good. Although effluent SS was 2–15 mg/l higher compared to a control without ozonation, it has been well below the discharge limit.

scholarly journals Enhancing phenol removal from waste water by adding powder activated carbon to the lab-scale activated sludge system

2021 ◽  
pp. 74-80
Author(s):  
Nguyen My Linh ◽  
Nguyen Duy Dat
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Suspended Solid ◽  
Phenol Removal ◽  
Mixed Liquor Suspended Solid ◽  
Conventional Activated Sludge ◽  
Powder Activated Carbon ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Adaptive Ability

In this study, the commercial powder activated carbon (PAC) was added to a bench scale conventional activated sludge (CAS) system to enhance phenol removal. The mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) concentration of CAS with adding PAC was stable in all stages of operation, while MLSS concentrations in CAS without PAC addition sharply decreased as the Phenol loading reached 1.8 g phenol/L.day. Higher removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and Phenol achieved with the CAS by PAC addition compared with those achieved with CAS without PAC addition. The difference in COD removal efficiency was 7 - 9% in stages 3 and 4 (0.8 and 1.2 g phenol/L.day, respectively), and about 33% in stage 5 (1.8 g phenol/L.day). The advantage of CAS with PAC addition was clearly observed in the highest phenol loading (1.8 g phenol/L.day) because the MLVSS/MLSS ratio of CAS with PAC addition increased and the COD and phenol removal efficiencies kept stable in this stage, while reverse trends were found for CAS without PAC addition. The results indicated that the adaptive ability of the CAS by adding PAC was significantly higher than the CAS without AC addition. This study offers useful preliminary results for applying a hybrid system between CAS and adsorption with PAC for further research and application in future.

scholarly journals Efficiency of the work of almond shells as biological carriers in activated sludge aeration tanks: كفاءة عمل قشور اللوز كحوامل بيولوجية في أحواض التهوية بالحمأة المنشطة

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raghad Salim Al-Shalabi, Naeima Ajib, Mahmoud Fattamah
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Hydraulic Retention Time ◽  
Aeration Tank ◽  
Sludge Treatment ◽  
Mixed Liquor ◽  
Conventional Activated Sludge ◽  
Fixed Film

Based on the interest in environmentally friendly materials for wastewater treatment, this research is aimed at evaluating the efficiency of almond shells work as biological carriers in activated sludge aeration tanks, known as the integrated fixed-film activated sludge treatment, a hybrid tank with attached growth and suspended growth is obtained. Almond shells were placed at 7% of the size of the aeration tank throughout the experiment period for about 4 months with a number of indicators such as hydraulic retention time and mixed liquor suspended solids. Two sets of experiments were performed, the first group with a constant hydraulic retention time ( HRT= 4 hours), and mixed liquor suspended solids was changed (500-1000-2000-3000 mg/ L), with the best removal efficiency at MLSS = 2000 mg/ l, by 91.3% and 92.1% for COD and SS respectively. The optimal MLSS concentration was adopted for the second group of experiments where HRT was increased to 5 and 6 hours. As a result, the best chain was found to be MLSS = 2000 mg/ l and HRT = 5 hours, with a removal efficiency of 93.4% and 93.9% for COD and SS respectively. As a result, the rate of return activated sludge was reduced from 100% to 60% and the rate of inflow into the aeration tank was increased due to the reduction HRT from 6 hours to 5 hours compared to conventional activated sludge treatment.

scholarly journals Removal of organic micropollutants in the biological units of a Swedish wastewater treatment plant

2021 ◽  
Vol 1209 (1) ◽  
pp. 012016
Author(s):  
C Burzio ◽  
E Nivert ◽  
A Mattsson ◽  
O Svahn ◽  
F Persson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Nutrient Removal ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Organic Micropollutants ◽  
Trickling Filters ◽  
Biofilm Reactors ◽  
Micropollutant Removal ◽  
Activated Sludge Reactor

Abstract The present study investigates the presence and removal of target organic micropollutants in a large Swedish wastewater treatment plant designed for nutrient removal including activated sludge, trickling filters, nitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) and post-denitrifying MBBRs. A total of 28 organic micropollutants were analysed, at concentrations ranging from few ng/L to µg/L, in the influent and effluent of the different biological reactors in two sampling campaigns. The observed micropollutant removal efficiencies of the wastewater treatment plant varied from insignificant (< 20%) to high (> 90%) between compounds. The activated sludge reactor, being the first in line, contributed to most of the removal from the water phase. Additional removal of a few compounds was observed in the biofilm units, but most of the persistent compounds remained stable through all biological treatments.

Performance of coarse pore filtration activated sludge system

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 71-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.R. Alavi Moghaddam ◽  
H. Satoh ◽  
T. Mino
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Pore Size ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Aeration Tank ◽  
Activated Sludge Process ◽  
Trickling Filter ◽  
Conventional Activated Sludge ◽  
Activated Sludge System ◽  
Scale Reactor

A coarse pore filter can be applied inside the aeration tank to facilitate the separation of sludge from liquid instead of sedimentation. This filter has pores, which are irregular in shape, and the pore size is bigger than those of MF. The objectives of the study were to maintain as much as MLSS in the activated sludge process with coarse pore filter and to investigate the performance under high MLSS condition. Small-scale reactor results so far show good quality of effluent specially after starting the sludge bulking in the system in terms of SS, TOC, DOC and turbidity. The average carbon removal for 62 days operation of this system was about 94% (based on effluent DOC) and 87% (based on effluent TOC). The average sludge yield in this system is about 0.44 kg MLSS/kg TOC which is about 0.24 kg MLSS/kg BOD. This amount is less than those of conventional activated sludge and trickling filter.

Upgrading of the biotreatment in a pharmaceutical industry with activated carbon addition

2004 ◽  
Vol 48 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 437-444
Author(s):  
F. Çeçen ◽  
Ö Aktas
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Oxygen Uptake Rate ◽  
Spectral Measurements ◽  
Spectral Parameters ◽  
Evaluation Of Performance ◽  
Activated Sludge Reactor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

The impact of powdered activated carbon (PAC) on the biotreatment of a chemical synthesis wastewater emerging from a pharmaceutical industry was studied. The aim of this addition was to decrease inhibitory and non-biodegradable organics. In the first step, PAC was directly added to activated sludge. In the next step, the wastewater was first contacted with PAC and then treated in an activated sludge reactor. COD, oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectral measurements were carried out for the evaluation of performance. Direct PAC addition and PAC pretreatment led to similar results, but direct PAC addition was considered more practical than pretreatment with PAC. With the addition of PAC, the level of non-biodegradable matter and the colour of the wastewater were significantly reduced. In any case, the addition of PAC increased the OUR of activated sludge, indicating that inhibition could be decreased. The combined evaluation of OUR, spectral parameters and COD gave a better insight into the processes taking place than the COD parameter alone.

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