Short-Term Effects of Wastewater Biodegradability on Biological Phosphorus Removal

A steady-state laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor process for biological phosphorus removal (BPR) was developed, and the influence of wastewater biodegradability on BPR was studied in batch tests. Biodegradability was expressed in this work as the readily biodegradable fraction of wastewater COD (rbCOD) present in the mixed liquor after the anaerobic stage of the anaerobic/oxic cycle of the BPR process. The rbCOD fraction was changed by varying the organic composition of synthetic wastewater (different carbohydrates were used: saccharose, cellobiose, starch, and cellulose) or varying the anaerobic retention time (1.25, 4, 9, and 24 h) when only one kind of low biodegradable synthetic wastewater (starch composed) was used. A clear positive trend was observed between rbCOD and anaerobic P release, but such a clear relationship was not observed with BOD5 measurements. Soluble carbohydrates allowed a BPR mechanism, but particulate carbohydrates seemed to cause nonbiological P removal. An increase in anaerobic retention time improved rbCOD concentrations up to 50%, approximately, and P removal, but excessive retention times, >9 h, should be used to reach good BPR results.