Municipal wastewater treatment by biofiltration: comparisons of various treatment layouts. Part 1: assessment of carbon and nitrogen removal

One of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the Paris conurbation (240,000 m(3)/d) has been studied over several years in order to provide technical and economical information about biological treatment by biofiltration. Biofiltration systems are processes in which carbon and nitrogen pollution of wastewater are treated by ascendant flow through immersed fixed cultures. This paper, focused on technical information, aims: (1) to compare performances of the three biological treatment layouts currently used in biofiltration systems: upstream denitrification (UD), downstream denitrification (DD) and combined upstream-downstream denitrification (U-DD) layouts; and (2) to describe in detail each treatment step. Our study has shown that more than 90% of the carbon and ammoniacal pollution is removed during biological treatment, whatever the layout used. Nitrate, produced during nitrification, is then reduced to atmospheric nitrogen. This reduction is more extensive when the denitrification stage occurs downstream from the treatment (DD layout with methanol addition), whereas it is only partial when it is inserted upstream from the treatment (UD layout - use of endogenous carbonaceous substrate). So, the UD layout leads to a nitrate concentration that exceeds the regulatory threshold in the effluent, and the treatment must be supplemented with a post-denitrification step (U-DD layout). Our work has also shown that the optimal ammonium-loading rate is about 1.1-1.2 kg N-NH(4)(+) per m(3) media (polystyrene) and day. For denitrification, the optimal nitrate-loading rate is about 2.5 kg N per m(3) media (expanded clay) and day in the case of DD with methanol, and is about 0.25 kg N-NO(3)(-) per m(3) media and day in the case of UD with exogenous carbonaceous substrate.     

Effects of ORP, recycling rate, and HRT on simultaneous sulfate reduction and sulfur production in expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors under micro-aerobic conditions for treating molasses distillery wastewater

An expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor was adopted to incubate the sludge biogranule that could simultaneously achieve sulfate reduction and sulfide reoxidization to elemental sulfur for treating molasses distillery wastewater. The EGSB reactor was operated for 175 days at 35 °C with a pH value of 7.0, chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rate of 4.8 kg COD/(m3 d), and sulfate loading rate of 0.384 kg SO(4)(2-)/(m3 d). The optimal operation parameters, including the oxidation reduction potential (ORP), recycling rate, and hydraulic retention time (HRT), were established to obtain stable and acceptable removal efficiencies of COD, sulfate, and higher elemental sulfur production. With an ORP of -440 mV, a recycling rate of 300%, and HRT of 15 h, the COD and sulfate removal efficiencies were 73.4 and 61.3%, respectively. The elemental sulfur production ratio reached 30.1% when the elemental sulfur concentration in the effluent was 48.1 mg/L. The performance results were also confirmed by the mass balance calculation of sulfate, sulfide, and elemental sulfur over the EGSB reactor.     

Removal of dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon from stormwater by biofiltration mesocosms.

Biofiltration systems are becoming a popular stormwater treatment device in water sensitive urban design for the removal of fine particulate and dissolved pollutants from stormwater. However, there is limited published data on the effectiveness of these systems for nutrient removal. We constructed biofiltration mesocosms to assess nutrient removal (nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon) under experimental conditions. Different types of media were compared (gravel, sand, and sandy-loam) in vegetated and non-vegetated mesocosms (six treatments in total). Five plant species were used. Vegetated sand and vegetated sandy-loam provided the best overall treatment. Vegetated mesocosms were very effective in removing nitrogen (63-77% removal) and phosphorus (85-94% removal) from synthetic stormwater, and removed substantially more nutrients than the non-vegetated treatments. All treatments removed a substantial portion of the carbon from the stormwater (28-66%). When flushed with tap water, nitrogen and phosphorus were retained by the vegetated mesocosms, but leached from the non-vegetated mesocosms. Plant growth was most vigorous in the sandy-loam media, indicating that this is a good growth media, even without the addition of organic matter.     

聚硫氯化铝和PAC用于钢铁废水处理的对比分析

介绍了新型混凝剂PACS和传统的PAC混凝剂在某钢铁综合废水处理效果的比较分析。PACS在冬季低温情况下,不仅降低出水浊度,而且还能减少PAM的使用,节省处理成本,简化了操作工艺,其应用效果显著。     

Behaviour of a full-scale expanded bed reactor with overlaid anaerobic and aerobic zones for domestic wastewater treatment.

This paper presents the behaviour of a full-scale expanded bed reactor (160 m3) with overlaid anaerobic and aerobic zones used for municipal wastewater treatment. The research was carried out in two experimental steps: anaerobic and anaerobic-aerobic conditions, and the experimental results presented in this paper refer to four months of reactor operation. In the anaerobic condition, after inoculation and 60 days of operation, the reactor treating 3.40 kg CODm(-3)d(-1) for thetaH of 2.69 h, reached mean removal efficiencies of 76% for BOD, 72% for COD, and 80% for TSS, when the effluent presented mean values of 225 mg.L(-1) of COD, 98 mg.L(-1) of BOD and 35 mg.L(-1) of TSS. Under these conditions, for nitrogen loading of 0.27 kgN.m(-3)d(-1), the reactor generated an effluent with mean N-org. of 8 mg.L(-1) and N-ammon. of 37 mg.L(-1), demonstrating high potential of ammonification. For the anaerobic-aerobic condition (118th day) the system was operated with thetaH of 5.38 h presented mean removal efficiencies of 84% for BOD, 79% for COD, 76% for TSS, and 30% for TKN. The reactor's operation time was less than two months, which was not long enough to reach nitrification. Regarding the obtained results, this research confirmed that this reactor is configured as a flexible and adequate alternative for the treatment of sewage, requiring relatively small area and only thetaH of 10 h that can be adjusted to the local circumstances.     

A high filtration system with synthetic permeable media for wastewater reclamation.

A novel filtration process with synthetic permeable media was investigated for secondary effluent reclamation. Polyurethane was chosen as the filter medium among three tested media. Compressibility and up-flow velocity were changed to determine the optimum operation for the system. An equation was introduced to express the relationship between the removal efficiency and up-flow velocity. In a pilot study, the synthetic medium filtration with compression showed very stable effluent quality without clogging trouble, though the system operated with three times higher filtration rate and much longer backwashing interval than conventional systems.     

浮床植物对不同污染程度水体中氮、磷的去除效果

研究美人蕉及水蕹菜这两种常见浮床植物在低、中、高浓度污水中的生长状况,以及对氮、磷的净化效果:①低浓度污水中水蕹菜对氮磷的去除效果优于美人蕉;中浓度污水中水蕹菜对NH3-N的去除效果高于美人蕉,对NO3-N和TP的去除效果低于美人蕉;高浓度水样中,美人蕉对所有指标的净化效果均优于水蕹菜.②水蕹菜在TN质量浓度大于30m...     

Simultaneous nitrification and autotrophic denitrification in fluidized bed reactors using pyrite and elemental sulfur as electron donors

In this study, simultaneous nitrification and autotrophic denitrification (SNAD) with either elemental sulfur or pyrite were investigated in fluidized bed reactors in mesophilic conditions. The reactor performance was evaluated at different ammonium (12-40 mg/L of NH₄⁺-N), nitrate (35-45 mg/L of NO₃^--N), and dissolved oxygen (DO) (0.1-1.5 mg/L) concentrations, with a hydraulic retention time of 12 h. The pyrite reactor supported the SNAD process with a maximum nitrogen removal efficiency of 139.5 mg/(L·d) when the DO concentration was in the range of 0.8-1.5 mg/L. This range, however, limited the denitrification efficiency of the reactor, which decreased from 90.0% ± 5.3% in phases II-V to 67.9% ± 7.2% in phases VI and VII. Sulfate precipitated as iron sulfate (FeSO₄/Fe₂(SO₄)₃) and sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) minerals during the experiment. The sulfur reactor did not respond well to nitrification with a low and unstable ammonium removal efficiency, while denitrification occurred with a nitrate removal efficiency of 97.8%. In the pyrite system, the nitrifying bacterium Nitrosomonas sp. was present, and its relative abundance increased from 0.1% to 1.1%, while the autotrophic denitrifying genera Terrimonas, Ferruginibacter, and Denitratimonas dominated the community. Thiobacillus, Sulfurovum, and Trichlorobacter were the most abundant genera in the sulfur reactor during the entire experiment.     

特高浓度有机膦氨氮废水预处理工艺研究

以乙膦铝为代表的特高浓度有机膦氨氮废水预处理,通过ClO2催化氧化和常温常压、高温常压、高温高压碱解试验工艺的比较发现,一段预处理以高温高压碱解工艺为优,有机膦、氨氮和CODCr的削减率可分别达94.4%,96.3%和85.5%;二段预处理工艺则以投加Fe2 为宜,在控制足够高的水温和Fe2 /TP值条件下,有机膦的浓度去除率可达68%.为后续的进一步处理创造了有利条件.     

Analysis of sulfur and nitrogen odorants using solid-phase microextraction and GC-MS.

An analytical method involving solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was applied to analyze biosolids odors. A selective ion monitoring (SIM)-based MS method was developed, using SPME injections of odorant standards under the full-scan mode to select the quantification and confirmation ions for each odorant. The odorants analyzed in this study include: dimethylsulfide, dimethyldisulfide, methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, trimethylamine and dimethylamine. We have used this method to quantify parts-per-billion levels of odorant vapors produced during anaerobic incubation of digested wastewater sludge. Important considerations for expedient and accurate calibration under static and dynamic flow conditions are discussed. The SPME-GC-MS method may give a positive intercept in the calibration curve, especially under static sampling conditions, which sets a practical detection limit for odor analysis.     

A combined UASB-MBR with shortcut nitrification-denitrification for energy reduction in wastewater reclamation

Shortcut nitrification has been successfully applied in a laboratory scale nitrification-denitrification process consisting of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and an aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) in treating synthetic and municipal wastewater to simultaneously remove organic carbon and nitrogen. For the treatment of synthetic wastewater, the combined system exhibited a high TOC removal of 98% with a steady ammonia removal efficiency of about 98% in the MBR and a total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of 90%. In treating municipal wastewater, due to its low COD concentration, removal efficiencies of TOC, ammonia and TN were 70%, 98% and 60%, respectively. The biogas production was around 76.4 L/m3 wastewater when treating synthetic wastewater. However, little biogas was produced when treating municipal wastewater which was the result of low organic carbon loading to the UASB. Energy analysis has demonstrated that this novel shortcut nitrification process could consume less energy than a conventional process and have the potential of bio-energy generation via biogas production thus helping to achieve a more favorable energy balance.     

垂直潜流锰砂人工湿地处理钢铁废水

研究了以锰砂为填料的垂直流人工湿地处理钢铁废水的效果,试验结果表明:湿地系统对CODCr、Fe、Mn、TP、NH3-N的平均去除率分别为52%、97%、94%、95%和83%.夏季湿地对各种污染物的去除效果最好.HRT在2～5 d时,其改变对污染物的去除影响很小,低温条件对NH3-N的去除效果有一定的影响.对以Fe、Mn、浊度的去除为目的的人工湿地而言,在南方的冬季仍可达到良好效果.     

Application of a sponge media (BioCube) process for upgrading and expansion of existing caprolactam wastewater treatment plant for nitrogen removal.

For the upgrade and expansion of an existing caprolactam wastewater treatment plant, a freely floating sponge media (BioCube) process was selected based on extensive pilot-plant tests, due to extreme space constraints. In order to protect nitrifier inhibition caused by high strength organics in caprolactam wastewater, the pilot plant consisted of an organics removal reactor, which functioned as a pretreatment for nitrification, and followed the nitrogen removal reactor. The suspended MLSS was 1,800-4,000 and the media attached MLSS was maintained at 22,000-26,000 mg/L. The final effluent COD was noticeably low, around 20.4-37 mg/L, even with fairly large fluctuations in the feed levels, between 1,400-6,770 mg/L. The removal of total nitrogen with the system, when denitrification was close to completion, was approximately 97.6%. For the entire run, complete nitrification of 99.6% was achieved, which might have been due to well-acclimatized nitrifiers attached in the BioCube media. Specifically, after adaptation, the nitrification continuously increased in the organics removal reactor, even under high residual organics conditions. From the numerous experimental results, the BioCube process seemed to be an effective method for the upgrading and expansion of the existing wastewater treatment plant, with minimum reactor enlargement.     

Electrochemical treatment of residual ammonia nitrogen in biologically pretreated coking wastewater with three-dimensional electrodes

The electrochemical oxidation of the residual ammonia nitrogen contained in biologically pretreated coking wastewater using three-dimensional electrode system was studied. The results show the Ti/RuO2/IrO2 anode plates and the coke have good surface characteristics for the purpose of this study. In addition, studies also show that the three-dimensional electrode system should be able to give a satisfied solution to the residual bio-refractory ammonia nitrogen in biologically pretreated coking wastewater in comparison to conventional two-dimensional electrodes. At coke size of 10-20 mesh, electrode distance of 1.0 cm and current density of 4.5 mA/cm2, the residual ammonia nitrogen in the three-dimensional electrode system was almost completely removed in 60 min.     

水田排水干渠中总氮的迁移与削减

水田灌区排水渠道既是总氮汇集、迁移、转化的主要场所,也是关系到农村生态文明建设的人工河流。通过对前郭灌区排水干渠的系统检测,基本了解了排水干渠中总氮的组分、迁移、转化规律,提出了地表控制、水岸拦截、沿程削减相结合的削减与利用水体中总氮的主要技术方法,对进一步开展十二五期间“水专项”子课题的研究与示范、减少灌区退水总氮污染河流、建设农村生态文明具有指导意义。     

Impact of nitrogen reduction measures on nitrogen surplus, income and production of German agriculture.

Among the numerous non-point sources of diffuse water pollution with nitrogen, agriculture is counted one of the main sources. The agricultural policies of the Agenda 2000 and a decoupling of direct payments for farmers from their production decisions are exemplarily evaluated as nitrogen reduction measures using the Regional Agricultural and Environmental Information System RAUMIS. The results show that until the target year 2010 the risk of diffuse pollution of water bodies with nitrogen is a regional problem in Germany. These problems are neither mitigated by the policies of Agenda 2000 nor by a decoupling of direct payments from production decisions of farmers. While total nitrogen surplus reduces considerably after a decoupling of direct payments due to decreases of land-use the nitrogen surplus on the remaining cultivated area increases resulting from structural changes. Granting the same amount of direct payments to farmers in both policy alternatives the agricultural sector income would be higher after a decoupling of direct payments opposed to the Agenda 2000 resulting from a more efficient allocation of inputs.     

Using a compact combined constructed wetland system to treat agricultural wastewater with high nitrogen.

The objectives of this study were to find appropriate conditions for nitrogen removal by a compact combined constructed wetland system and to evaluate the removal rate constant in a tropical climate. This study will present suitable operating conditions for a combined system to treat pig farm wastewater containing high ammonia-nitrogen. Four laboratory-scale combined constructed wetland units (0.5 x 1.0 x 1.0 m3): vertical flow vegetated bed over horizontal flow sand bed, were operated under an average temperature of 24 degrees C. Pig farm wastewater with COD and NH4-N concentration of 1034 and 448 mg/L in average was fed to the system at different HLR from 2 to 8 cm/day. The performance of the system when operated with a vertical flow bed followed by a horizontal flow bed or vice versa did not show a significant difference but under high HLR, nitrogen removal efficiencies were clearly reduced. Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas were found in a large number in vertical flow beds and the same for denitrifier bacteria in a horizontal flow beds. Removal rate constants for nitrification (kNH4+ -N) were 0.0413 m/d for H-Vmode and 0.0339 m/d for V-H mode. Removal rate constants for denitrification (kNOx-N) were 0.0979 m/d for H-Vmode and 0.0399 m/d for V-H mode, respectively.     

Application of vibration milling for advanced wastewater treatment and excess sludge reduction

As a new sludge reduction technology with a phosphorus removal mechanism, a vibration milling technology that uses iron balls have been applied to the wastewater treatment process. Three anaerobic-aerobic cyclic activated sludge processes: one without sludge disintegration; one disintegrated sludge by ozonation; and the other disintegrated sludge with the vibrating ball mill were compared. Ozonation achieved the best sludge reduction performance, but milling had the best phosphorus removal. This is because iron was mixed into the wastewater treatment tank due to abrasion of the iron balls, leading to settling of iron phosphates. Thus, the simple means of using iron balls as the medium in a vibrating ball mill can achieve both a sludge reduction of half and excellent phosphorus removal. Material balances in the processes were calculated and it was found that carbon components in disintegrated sludge were more resistant to biological treatment than nitrogen.     

雨水花园对降水径流水量的削减及污水净化能力分析

以秦皇岛市雨水花园试点为例,介绍了雨水花园结构及生态功能,重点分析了雨水花园对降水径流水量的削减、污染净化能力,最终得到其对前者削减率平均可达45%(春秋季和夏季相差较大),对后者削减率呈现先高后低趋势,整体运行寿命可达15年。     

城市污水系统温室气体排放与对策研究

污水系统是完成城市减排目标的主体,但在其建设和运行过程中需要消耗大量能源并排放温室气体,存在广阔的节能减排空间。对污水输送、污水处理和污泥处理等过程的温室气体排放途径进行了调研分析,在此基础上提出相应的减排对策,并提出应在规划理念、工艺选择和运行管理的方案比选中,引入碳尺概念,就排放的温室气体量进行分析研究,推动低碳排水系统的发展。