Treatment of High Nitrate-Containing Wastewaters by Sequential Heterotrophic and Autotrophic Denitrification

The treatment performance of sequential heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification process was evaluated using synthetic wastewaters containing high nitrate concentrations. The effluents from two sequentially connected reactors, for heterotrophic denitrification and sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification, were analyzed for more than 200 days. Experimental results indicated that higher than 95% of the nitrate removal could be achieved with volumetric nitrate loading rates of 2.16, 3.24, and 4.32 kg/m3?d. The maximum denitrification rates, with 1,000 mgN/l influent nitrate concentrations, for the heterotrophic and sulfur-packed autotrophic reactors, were found to be 2.47 and 3.61 kg/m3?d, respectively. A sequential heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification process is considered a good alternative for the sole autotrophic denitrification process, providing excellent nitrate removal, especially for nitrate-rich wastewaters with very low organic contents.     

聚羟基铝无机化合物中羟基的测定

现行的测定聚羟基铝无机化合物中羟基的方法,由于未能准确确定反应等当点,因而重复性不好,准确性也受影响。本方法采用模拟的方式确定各种条件下的反应等当点,作为滴定终点的指示,从而大大提高了测定的准确性。     

Ion‐Exchange Equilibria of Nitrates on a Strongly Basic Resin

Adsorption isotherms of nitrates on the resin Amberlite IRA 410 at various pH values (6.8–12) were experimentally determined by batch tests. Six models involving two or three parameters are discussed. Concerning the Langmuir equation, the linear method had no significant effect on the estimation of isotherm parameters and simulation precision. Irrespective of the pH, the Sips model was found to give the best fit of the adsorption isotherm data. The maximum adsorption capacity decreased with increasing pH values and could be predicted by the correlation equations obtained in this study.     

Development of a Response Surface for Prediction of Nitrate Removal in Sulfur–Limestone Autotrophic Denitrification Fixed-Bed Reactors

Sulfur–limestone autotrophic denitrification (SLAD) processes are very efficient for treatment of ground or surface water contaminated with nitrate. However, detailed information is not available on the interaction among some major variables on the design and performance of the SLAD process. In this study, the response surface method was used by designing a rotatable central composite test scheme with 12 SLAD column tests. A polynomial linear regression model was set up to quantitatively describe the relationship of the effluent and influent nitrate–nitrogen concentration and hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the SLAD column reactors. This model may be used for estimating the effluent nitrate–nitrogen concentration when the influent nitrate–nitrogen concentration ranges between 20 and 110?mg/L and the HRT ranges between 2 and 9?h. Based on our model and the requirement for nitrite control, we recommend that the HRT of the SLAD column reactor be kept ≥ 6?h and the nitrate loading rate less than 200 g NO3?–N/day?m3 media to achieve high nitrate removal efficiency (>99%) and prevent nitrite accumulation from being >1?mg/L NO2?–N.     

Simultaneous Removal of Phenol and Nitrate in an Anaerobic Bioreactor

Phenol and nitrate are two major pollutants simultaneously occurring in several industrial wastewaters. In this study, a 110-day gradual enrichment of an anaerobic culture has been carried out at 25°C in an anaerobic bioreactor for continuously treating a synthetic wastewater containing 600?mg/L phenol and 430?mg/L?NO3?–N. The results showed that the enriched culture can utilize phenol as a sole electron donor and nitrate as a sole electron acceptor. At the end of the enrichment (on Day 110), 93.3% of phenol and 98.0% of NO3?–N were simultaneously removed at a hydraulic retention time of 20.25?h in the anaerobic bioreactor. The removal of 1?g?NO3?–N required about 3.19?g chemical oxygen demand as the electron donor. Batch tests further revealed that cresol, nitrophenol, and monochlorinated phenol (MCP) could exert detrimental influences on the treatment abilities of the enriched culture. However, the inhibitory effects of cresol were impermanent, as compared to those of nitrophenol and MCP. In order to operate the anaerobic bioreactor steadily, high concentrations of cresol should be diluted before being fed while the existence of nitrophenol and MCP in the bioreactor should be avoided.     

Hydrology and Nitrogen Components of a Simple Rye Growth Model

Cover cropping practices are being researched to reduce artificial subsurface drainage nitrate-nitrogen (nitrate-N) losses from agricultural lands in the upper Mississippi watershed. A soil-plant-atmosphere simulation model, RyeGro, was developed to quantify the influence of a winter cereal rye cover crop on nitrate-N losses given climatic variability in the region. This paper describes the hydrology and nitrogen cycle submodels of RyeGro, which was developed with a low level of complexity and conceptualizes the soil profile as three soil layers. The model was calibrated with data from a three-year rye cover crop field study conducted at Lamberton, Minnesota, and validated with data from a previous study. During model calibration, field subsurface drainage nitrate-N loadings were predicted within 0.2, 0, and 1.6?kg?N?ha?1 (1, 0, and ?3%) of measured loadings for the corn-soybean treatment and within 1.2, 0, and 1.6?kg?N?ha?1 (11, 0, and 3%) of measured loadings for the corn-rye-soybean treatment. The model validation showed nitrate-N loading differences of 7 and 1?kg?N?ha?1 (?22 and 4%) for the two years tested.     

Removal of NOx: Part II. Species formed during the sorption/desorption processes on barium aluminates

The formation of various species formed during the adsorption of NO_x issued from a synthetic lean-burn exhaust gas upon barium aluminates was studied using FTIR and TGA. The results have been systematically compared to those obtained with bulk BaO. Two factors are responsible for the difference observed during adsorption/desorption tests on the two solids. On one hand, stable carbonates are formed on BaO whereas no carbonate is formed on barium aluminate. On the other hand, the structure of the nitrates formed on these two compounds is very different, an N-bounded nitrate is formed on barium aluminate and not on bulk BaO.     

The Effect of Oxygen Concentration on the Reaction of NOx with Soot Over BaAl2O4

The effect of oxygen concentration on the catalytic reaction of NO_x with soot over BaAl₂O₄ has been studied by Diffuse Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The introduction of O₂ into the NO flow can result in a reactant mixture of NO/NO₂/O₂. Increasing the O₂ concentration from 2 % to 5 % in the NO‐containing flow promotes the formation of NO₂ from the gas phase oxidation of NO. The reactant mixture with high O₂/NO flow, allows for the formation of greater amounts of nitrate species than that with low O₂/NO flow, which further promotes the reaction of soot with NO_x and leads to a high conversion efficiency of NO_x into N₂ and N₂O. In the absence of O₂, N₂O is not observed since the N₂O produced at high temperatures has reacted with soot before it can be detected.     

Nitrate Removal in Sulfur: Limestone Pond Reactors

The feasibility of using sulfur:limestone autotrophic denitrification (SLAD) pond reactors to treat nitrate-contaminated water or wastewater after secondary treatment was investigated with four lab-scale continuously fed SLAD ponds. The start-up period, temperature effects, and effects of different feed solutions were evaluated. With an influent concentration of 30 mg NO3?–N/L at an HRT of 30 days, the pond reactors had an overall nitrate removal efficiency of 85–100%. Effluent nitrite concentrations were <0.2 mg N/L in all tests. Aerobic conditions could result in a decrease of the SLAD pH of the pond by 2 to 3 units and a large increase in sulfate production ( ～ 1600–1800?mg-SO42?/L). Under unmixed (anoxic) conditions, the pH and sulfate produced were maintained at approximately 5.5 to 5.6 and 400–600?mg-SO42?/L, respectively, in all the SLAD ponds. Temperature affected the pond reactors adversely. By assuming that a first-order reaction occurred in a SLAD pond reactor, the temperature-activity coefficient, θ was found to be 1.068. Treatment of nitrate-contaminated surface water and wastewater using SLAD pond systems is feasible only if (1) the chemical oxygen demand (COD)/nitrate–N (COD/N) ratio is low (<1.2 with an initial NO3? concentration of 30 mg-N/L), (2) sulfur:limestone granules are not covered by sediment, and (3) sulfur-utilizing but nondenitrifying bacteria (SUNDB) are greatly inhibited due to the lack of DO in the pond systems. The SLAD ponds are not feasible for the treatment of raw wastewater or surface water if they contain high concentrations of organic matters due to the possible inhibition of sulfur-based autotrophic denitrifiers by heterotrophs (including heterotrophic denitrifiers). In addition, a high sulfate and low DO concentration as well as a low pH in the SLAD effluent of the pond (even when the pond is operated in an unmixed mode) also will limit the application of SLAD pond processes.     

Damage costs produced by electric power plants: An externality valuation in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

This paper presents an estimate of the externalities produced in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) through the impacts on health caused by secondary pollutants attributed to seven electric power plants located outside this area. An original method was developed to make possible a simplified application of the impact pathway approach to estimate the damage costs in the specified area. Our estimate shows that the annual costs attributed to secondary pollutants total 71 million USD (min/max 20/258 million USD). Finally, this paper discusses basic ideas on the implications for energy policy arising from this exercise in externality valuation.