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PubMed2004

Biological treatment of tannery wastewater in the presence of chromium.

Experiments were carried out to determine the feasibility of treating tannery wastewater containing chromium, an inhibiting compound, with sequencing batch reactors (SBR). The maximum chromium concentration tolerated by microorganisms was determined through aerobic and anoxic batch experiments, and the biomass inhibition process was analyzed in a lab scale reactor at increasing chromium concentrations. The results obtained, in batch experiments and in the SBR reactor, have demonstrated that chromium addition had less influence on the denitrification bacteria than on the nitrification bacteria. In addition, it was observed that nitrification and denitrification rates, at the same chromium concentration, were higher in the SBR reactor than in batch experiments with unacclimated biomass. Experimental results confirm that sequencing batch reactors are able to produce a more resistant biomass, which acclimates quickly to inhibiting conditions. A large amount of chromium was found in the sludge from the reactor, while the effluent was devoid of the inhibiting metal.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2005

Effect of salinity on nitrous oxide emission in the biological nitrogen removal process for industrial wastewater.

The effects of wastewater salinity on both nitrogen removal efficiency and N2O emission rate were investigated in a single nitrification process, a single denitrification process and an anoxic-oxic activated sludge process. In the single nitrification process, by increasing the salt concentration from 1.0 to 2.0 wt%, the N2O conversion ratio in the steady state increased by 2.2 times, from 0.22 to 0.48%. In the single denitrification process, a minimal change in the N2O conversion ratio was observed in the steady state even when the salt concentration was increased from 3.0 to 5.0 wt%. From the results of the anoxic-oxic activated sludge process, it was found that a salt concentration increase from 1.6 to 3.0 wt% significantly increases the N2O conversion ratio from 0.7 to 13%. It is suggested that an increase in salt concentration markedly influences N2O emission both directly and indirectly via the inhibition of N2O reductase activity. The indirect inhibition is due to the high concentration of dissolved oxygen which is transported from the oxic tank to the anoxic tank through the circulated liquid. Thus, the salt concentration should be maintained below 3.0% to suppress N2O emission in an anoxic-oxic activated sludge process.

Anesthetics, Inhalation↗
PubMed2005

Cometabolic degradation of TCE in enriched nitrifying batch systems.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the trace pollutant trichloroethylene (TCE) on the nitrification process and to assess its cometabolic degradation. Nitrification was accomplished in batch suspended growth systems containing an enriched nitrifier culture. The presence of TCE resulted in both the inhibition of specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) and specific ammonium utilization rate (qNH(4)-N). In both SOUR and qNH(4)-N a 50% decrease was observed in a TCE concentration range of 1000-2000 ppb. TCE was cometabolically degraded by this enriched nitrifier culture. The cometabolic degradation of TCE was found to be dependent on initial TCE concentration. The results may be applicable in the treatment of TCE containing industrial wastewaters and contaminated groundwaters and soils.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2006

Biological nitrogen and phenol removal from saline industrial wastewater by submerged fixed-film reactor.

In this study a biological nitrogen removal process using a submerged fixed-film reactor was applied to treat industrial wastewater with phenol (1g/l), a high nitrogen concentration (0.4 g N/l) and high salinity (30 g/l). The process consisted of a pre-denitrification system with a down-flow-up-flow biofilter (two columns, each with an effective volume of 21 l) packed with clayey schists from recycled construction material. The efficiency of the system for reducing COD, phenol concentration and total nitrogen was tested under different running conditions such as influent flow (10, 12 and 15 l/d), air loading (6.8 and 13.6m(3)/m(2)h) and effluent recirculation (300%, 400%, and 600%). The system demonstrated a high capacity for reducing COD concentration (95.75+/-0.72%), independently of running conditions. The aerobic column eliminated most of the phenol in the influent. Nitrogen removal took place mainly in the anoxic column, and was conditioned by the air loading in the aerated column, owing to the dependence of nitrification on the supply of oxygen. However, this process was not able to achieve a nitrogen oxidation superior to 63%, in spite of a sufficient supply of oxygen and the diluting effect of high recirculation (600%) on the phenol concentration in the influent. In spite of the limitations observed in the process of nitrification, results for the removal of total nitrogen were as high as 83%, owing to a combination of different processes for nitrogen removal.

Biofilms↗
PubMed2006

Effects of Cr3+, Cr6+ and tannery sludge on C and N mineralization and microbial activity in semi-arid soils.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two Cr species (Cr(3+) and Cr(6+)) on N and C mineralization and dehydrogenase activity in semi-arid soils. The Cr species (250 mg kg(-1)soil) were either added alone or mixed with tannery sludge (0.0125 g g(-1)) to three soils: cultivated soils, and outside and under the canopy of mesquite trees were then incubated for 180 days at 25 degrees C. Sole Cr(6+) addition had a higher inhibition of CO(2) production rate in cultivated soil (58-73%) than in soils under the canopy and outside the canopy. Soil outside the canopy amended with Cr(6+) showed the highest inhibition of dehydrogenase activity (40-100%) followed by cultivated and under the canopy soils. However, Cr(6+) added alone increased the inhibition of nitrification in soil outside the canopy (68-84%, from 30 to 120 days), followed by under the canopy and cultivated soils. The addition of tannery sludge to Cr(6+) significantly reduce the CO(2) production rate and dehydrogenase activity in all three soils, and increased the inhibition of nitrification in the following order: outside the canopy, cultivated and under the canopy soils. The addition of Cr(3+) or Cr(3+) plus tannery sludge either stimulated or inhibited CO(2) production rate, dehydrogenate activity and ammonification in the three soils in no clearly defined order. Measurement of dehydrogenase activity was the best tool for assessing the harmful effect of Cr(6+) on soil microbial activity in semi-arid soils exposed for an extended period.

Carbon↗
PubMed2006

Chromium fractionation in semi-arid soils amended with chromium and tannery sludge.

We studied Cr fractionation in three semi-arid soils (cultivated, under-the-canopy, and outside-the-canopy soils). The soils were amended with: Cr3+, Cr6+, tannery sludge, Cr3++tannery sludge, and Cr6++tannery sludge and all soils were incubated for 30 and 120 days at 25 degrees C. The Cr in three semi-arid soils was fractionated using sequential extraction (Tessier scheme). Data of Cr fractionation were used to find the correlations with microbial activities determined in previous work. The microbial activities: CO2-C evolved, dehydrogenase activity and nitrification were determined in the same soils amended with the same treatments. Tannery sludge was added at 0.0125 g g(-1) soil and Cr3+ or Cr6+ at 250 microg g(-1) soils. After 120 days of incubation, higher values of concentration of Cr were found in the residual fraction in the three soils amended with all the treatments, except cultivated and outside-the-canopy soils amended with Cr6++tannery. The non-residual fraction tended to decrease with time except in cultivated and outside-the-canopy soils amended with Cr6++tannery sludge. CO2-C evolved was significantly correlated (p<0.05 and p<0.001) with fractions bound to: Mn oxides, Fe oxides organic matter at 30 and 120 days of incubation (from r=0.827 to 0.979). Dehydrogenase activity was correlated with fractions bound to Fe oxides and bound to organic matter, and nitrification with fraction bound to organic matter at 30 days of incubation (r=0.874, 0.959, and 0.803, respectively). These results suggest that even in a sparingly available Cr fraction in semi-arid soils has effect on microbial activities.

Carbon Dioxide↗
PubMed2006

Simulating estuarine nitrous oxide production by means of a dynamic model.

We describe a dynamic model developed from a commercially available modeling package (ECoS-III) to simulate estuarine dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) dynamics, and consequent N(2)O production and atmospheric flux on the timescale of tidal cycles. Simulated model state variables were NH(4)(+), NO(3)(-) and N(2)O concentrations, and salinity. Model outputs were evaluated through comparison with summer field data for the Tyne estuary, UK. The model adequately reproduced the observed axial profiles of NH(4)(+), NO(3)(-) and N(2)O concentrations. Nitrification was shown to be the dominant N(2)O source and estimates of the ratios nitrification to DIN load and N(2)O emission to DIN load are considerably lower than the corresponding values adopted in global scale models of estuarine N(2)O emissions based on DIN transformations. Hence our results are consistent with the requirement imposed by atmospheric N(2)O growth rate constraints that the amount of atmospheric N(2)O arising from agriculturally related sources, including estuarine transformations of N, be revised downward.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed2006

Potential acidifying capacity of deposition experiences from regions with high NH4+ and dry deposition in China.

Acid rain may cause soil acidification possibly leading to indirect forest damage. Assessment of acidification potential of atmospheric deposition is problematic where dry and occult deposition is significant. Furthermore, uncertainty is enhanced where a substantial part of the potential acidity is represented by deposition of ammonium (NH(4)(+)) since the degree of assimilation and nitrification is not readily available. Estimates of dry deposition based on deposition velocity are highly uncertain and the models need to be verified or calibrated by field measurements of total deposition. Total deposition may be monitored under the forest canopy. The main problem with this approach is the unknown influence of internal bio-cycling. Moreover, bio-cycling may neutralize much of the acidity by leaching of mainly K(+). When the water percolates down into the rooting zone this K(+) is assimilated again and acidity is regenerated. Most monitoring stations only measure deposition. Lacking measurements of output flux of both NH(4)(+) and NO(3)(-) from the soil one cannot assess current net N transformation rates. Assumptions regarding the fate of ammonium in the soil have strong influence on the estimated acid load. Assuming that all the NH(4)(+) is nitrified may lead to an overestimation of the acidifying potential. In parts of the world where dry deposition and ammonium are important special consideration of these factors must be made when assessing the acidification potential of total atmospheric loading. In China dry and occult deposition is considerable and often greater than wet deposition. Furthermore, the main part of the deposited N is in its reduced state (NH(4)(+)). The IMPACTS project has monitored the water chemistry as it moves through watersheds at 5 sites in China. This paper dwells at two important findings in this study. 1) Potassium leached from the canopy by acid rain is assimilated again upon entering the mineral soil. 2) Nitrification apparently mainly takes place in forest floor (H- and O-) horizon as NH(4)(+) that escapes this horizon is efficiently assimilated in the A-horizon. This suggests that the potential acidification capacity of the deposition may be found in the throughfall and forest floor solution by treating K(+) and NH(4)(+), respectively, as acid cations in a base neutralization capacity (BNC) calculation.

Acid Rain↗
PubMed2006

In situ ammonia removal in bioreactor landfill leachate.

Although bioreactor landfills have many advantages associated with them, challenges remain, including the persistence of NH(3)-N in the leachate. Because NH(3)-N is both persistent and toxic, it will likely influence when the landfill is biologically stable and when post-closure monitoring may end. An in situ nitrogen removal technique would be advantageous. Recent studies have shown the efficacy of such processes; however, they are lacking the data required to enable adequate implementation at field-scale bioreactor landfills. Research was conducted to evaluate the kinetics of in situ ammonia removal in both acclimated and unacclimated wastes to aid in developing guidance for field-scale implementation. Results demonstrate that in situ nitrification is feasible in an aerated solid waste environment and that the potential for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (even under low biodegradable C:N conditions) in field-scale bioreactor landfills is significant due to the presence of both aerobic and anoxic areas. All rate data fit well to Monod kinetics, with specific rates of removal of 0.196 and 0.117 mgN/day-g dry waste and half-saturation constants of 59.6 and 147 mgN/L for acclimated and unacclimated wastes, respectively. Although specific rates of ammonia removal in the unacclimated waste are lower than in the acclimated waste, a relatively quick start-up of ammonia removal was observed in the unacclimated waste. Using the removal rate expressions developed will allow for estimation of the treatment times and volumes necessary to remove NH(3)-N from recirculated landfill leachate.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2006

Dynamic transformations of nitrogen during mechanical-biological pre-treatment of municipal solid waste.

Mechanical-biological pre-treatment (MBP) of municipal solid waste (MSW) has gained evidence as a practice capable of accomplishing the requirements for environmental sustainable landfilling. In particular, MBP is effective in reducing the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the leachate. However, few data are available on the modifications of the nitrogen forms occurring during MBP and on the role played by processes such as nitrification and generation of refractory organic compounds. The dynamic transformations of nitrogen were investigated during the MBP. MSW was mechanically and biologically pre-treated; samples were collected at different stages of the process and analysed to investigate the evolution of nitrogen forms; batch and column leaching tests were performed as well. The results indicate that nitrification is negligible and volatilization can only partially explain the low ammoniacal nitrogen content in the leachate. Incorporation of ammoniacal nitrogen into a refractory organic form was assessed and is likely to play an important role. The maximum content of refractory organic nitrogen in the solid waste was achieved after about 60 days of aerobic pre-treatment; therefore, the minimal duration of the MBP should be about 8-9 weeks in order to optimize the ammoniacal nitrogen incorporation, unless the waste is characterized by a low C/N ratio.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2004

Development of a biological filtration model applied for advanced treatment of sewage.

A mathematical model of biological filtration process is developed in this paper. A biological filtration process has advantages that filtration action and biological activities are combined in a single reactor with aid of filter media. Both physical and biological functions are incorporated in this developed model to simulate both mechanisms. Backwashing is expressed by the assumption that a mean captured solids concentration is input as data, and a captured solids concentration is kept at that value during each filtration run. The developed model is applied to explain the experimental performance with biological filtration reactors, in which batch cultivation of autotrophic bacteria and continuous treatment of actual sewage are carried out. Its applicability is discussed by comparing the simulated results with the experimental data. This model can favourably estimate maximum accumulation of autotrophic bacteria on the medium in batch cultivation, long-term treatment performance in continuous treatment, details of water quality profiles through the filter bed, and biomass. Required hydraulic retention time for nitrification and an appropriate recirculation ratio in a winter season are discussed with this model. This model predicts that a HRT of 1.1 h or above is required to achieve nitrification with remaining NH4(+)-N of less than 1 mgN/L and that an appropriate recirculation ratio is 2-3.

Bioreactors↗
PubMed2004

A comparative study of Cyperus papyrus and Miscanthidium violaceum-based constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in a tropical climate.

The treatment efficiencies of constructed wetlands containing Cyperus papyrus L. (papyrus) and Miscanthidium violaceum (K. Schum.) Robyns (synonymous with Miscanthus violaceum (K. Schum) Pilg.) were investigated in a tropical climate (Kampala, Uganda). Papyrus showed higher ammonium-nitrogen and total reactive phosphorus (TRP) removal (75.3% and 83.2%) than Miscanthidium (61.5% and 48.4%) and unplanted controls (27.9% ammonium-nitrogen). No TRP removal was detected in control effluent. Nutrients (N and P) were significantly higher (p<0.015) in papyrus than Miscanthidium plant tissues. Plant uptake and storage was the major factor responsible for N and P removal in treatment line 2 (papyrus) where it contributed 69.5% N and 88.8% P of the total N and P removed. It however accounted for only 15.8% N and 30.7% P of the total N and P removed by treatment line 3 (Miscanthidium violaceum). In addition, papyrus exhibited a significantly larger (p=0.000) number of adventitious roots than Miscanthidium. Nitrifying bacteria attached to papyrus (2.15 x 10(6)+/-1.53 x 10(5) MPN/g DW) and Miscanthidium roots (1.30 x 10(4)+/-8.83 x 10(2) MPN/g DW) and the corresponding nitrification activities were consistent with this finding. Epiphytic nitrifiers appeared more important for total nitrification than those in peat or suspended in water. Papyrus root structures provided more microbial attachment sites, sufficient wastewater residence time, trapping and settlement of suspended particles, surface area for pollutant adsorption, uptake, assimilation in plant tissues and oxygen for organic and inorganic matter oxidation in the rhizosphere, accounting for its high treatment efficiency.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2004

Effects of substrate loading rate on biofilm structure.

The effects of substrate surface loading rate on biofilm growth and structure were investigated by chemical, biochemical and microscopic methods. Three tubular reactors were operated at equal C:N ratio of 0.1, with substrate loading rates of 1.2, 0.6 and 0.3g-C/m(2)/day. Substrate loading positively influenced the biofilm growth rate. Denser biofilms with lower porosities were formed at higher substrate loading. Slowly growing biofilms having porous structures were found to have higher specific activities. Nitrification was suppressed under the higher substrate loading conditions even at the equal C:N ratio of 0.1, thus proving that the spatial competition between nitrifiers and heterotrophs as one limiting criteria for stable nitrification. The spatial organization of the ammonia oxidizers was biofilm structure related. The strain variability of ammonia oxidizers was substrate loading dependent. These findings suggest that substrate loading is a key parameter in determining biofilm structure and function.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2005

Respirometric calibration and validation of a biological nitrite oxidation model including biomass growth and substrate inhibition.

The modelling of the nitrification process of high-strength ammonium wastewater must be designed to consider it as a two-step reaction with substrate inhibition. Consequently, kinetic and stoichiometric parameters of both steps are required. In this work, the second step in the nitrification process was studied: a biological nitrite oxidation model was formulated, calibrated and validated using only oxygen uptake rate (OUR) measurements. The model included biomass growth and substrate inhibition. First, the biomass yield coefficient for nitrite-oxidising biomass was determined. Then, a respirometric experiment with one nitrite pulse of 500 mg N-NO2- L(-1) was performed to estimate the rest of the model parameters. The practical identifiability study showed that the parameters were strongly correlated. Hence, a new experimental design consisting of two consecutive pulses and a delayed third one was designed to improve the parameter identifiability. Both experimental designs were compared using contour plots of the objective function and optimal experimental design criteria for parameter estimation. It was concluded that the parameter identifiability was improved with the new experimental design. Finally, the estimated parameters were validated and the pH effect on the inhibition coefficient was evaluated.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2006

Development of biological filter as tertiary treatment for effective nitrogen removal: Biological filter for tertiary treatment.

A biological filtration process applicable to tertiary treatment of sewage for effective nitrogen removal was developed. It consisted of a nitrification filter (Filter 1) and/or a polishing filter with anoxic and oxic parts (Filter 2). A pilot plant set at a municipal sewage treatment plant was operated for 525 d with feed of real sewage. The maximum apparent nitrification rate in Filter 1 in winter was 0.54 kg N/m3- filter-bed d. In Filter 2, the maximum denitrification capacity was 4 kg N/m3 filter-bed d) in winter. SS was stably removed and high transparency water was obtained. The target water quality (SS, BOD, and T-N5 mg/L) was accomplished in winter with the LV of 202 m/d in Filter 2, which corresponds to 0.24 h of HRT. These results proved that this process is compact, stable, convenient to install, and cost effective to build and operate as tertiary treatment to remove nitrogen effectively.

Filtration↗
PubMed2006

Kinetic and metabolic study of benzene, toluene and m-xylene in nitrifying batch cultures.

The effect of benzene, toluene, and m-xylene (BTX) compounds on the nitrifying activity of a sludge produced in steady-state nitrification was evaluated in batch cultures. Benzene and m-xylene at 10 mg C/L decreased ammonium consumption efficiency by 57% and 26%, respectively, whereas toluene did not affect the ammonium oxidation process. The consumed NH4+-N was totally oxidized to NO3- -N. There was no significant effect at 5 mg C/L of each aromatic compound. BTX (5-20mg C/L) induced a significant decrease in the values for specific rates of NH4+ -N consumption (76-99%) and NO3- -N production (45-98%). At 10 mg C/L of BTX compounds, the inhibition order on nitrate production was: benzene > m-xylene > toluene while at 20 mg C/L, the sequence changed to m-xylene > toluene > benzene for both nitrification inhibition and BTX compounds persistence. At 5 mg C/L of BTX compounds, there was no toxic effect on the sludge whereas from 10 to 50 mgC/L, bacteria did not totally recover their nitrifying activity. At a concentration of 5 mg C/L, toluene was first oxidized to benzyl alcohol, which was later oxidized to butyrate while m-xylene was oxidized to acetate and butyrate.

Benzene↗
PubMed2006

Nitrous oxide emissions from secondary activated sludge in nitrifying conditions of urban wastewater treatment plants: effect of oxygenation level.

In order to better understand the mechanisms of N(2)O emissions from nitrifying activated sludge of urban WWTPs, sludge from the Valenton plant (Paris conurbation) are subjected to lab-scale batch experiments under various conditions of oxygenation. The results show that the highest N(2)O emissions (7.1 microgN-N(2)OgSS(-1) h(-1) in average) occur at a dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of around 1mgO(2)L(-1). These high emissions at low oxygenation (from 0.1 to 2 mg O(2)L(-1)) are due to two processes: autotrophic nitrifier denitrification and heterotrophic denitrification. Nitrifier denitrification always dominates, representing from 58% to 83% of the N(2)O production. This N(2)O production originating from nitrifying activated sludge becomes 8 times higher when nitrite is added at a DO of 1 mg O(2)L(-1); a decrease is observed both at higher and lower oxygenation. Heterotrophic denitrification represents less than 50% of the N(2)O production, decreasing from 42% to 17% when oxygenation increases from 0.1 to 2 mg O(2) L(-1). We show that ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) can shift to nitrifier denitrification when oxygen is depleted in the environments including in the WWTPs, nitrite then plays the role of oxygen as the final electron acceptor. As opposed to what happens in nitrification, the end products of nitrifier denitrification are gaseous forms of nitrogen, where N(2)O is not negligible compared to N(2). Overall, N(2)O emissions represent 0.1-0.4% of oxidized NH(4)(+), depending on the oxygenation level. N(2)O emissions would range from 0.11 to 0.42 TN-N(2)O day(-1) for a tertiary treatment of the Paris wastewater effluents, consisting exclusively of activated sludge nitrification.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2006

Ozonation reduces sludge production and improves denitrification.

The effectiveness of partial ozonation of return activated sludge for enhancing denitrification and waste sludge minimization were examined. A pair of nitrifying sequencing batch reactors was operated in either aerobic or alternating anoxic/aerobic conditions, with one control and one ozonated reactor in each set. The amount of solids produced decreased with the ozone dose. Biomass in the anoxic/aerobic reactor was easier to destroy (up to 25% of the initial excess sludge) than in the aerobic (10%) one, generating approximately twice as much soluble COD by cell lysis. Denitrification rate improved up to 60% due to additional carbon released by ozonation. Nitrification rates deteriorated much more in the aerobic than in the alternating reactor, possibly as a result of direct destruction of nitrifying autotrophs as well as competition created by growth of heterotrophs receiving the additional COD. Overall, ozonation provided the expected benefits in denitrification and had less impact on nitrification in the alternating reactors.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗