A road-map for energy-neutral wastewater treatment plants of the future based on compact technologies (including MBBR)

In the paper concepts for wastewater treatment of the future are discussed by the use of a) one flow diagram based on established, compact, proven technologies (i.e. nitrification/denitrification for N-removal in the mainstream) and b) one flow diagram based on emerging, compact technologies (i.e. de-ammonification in the main stream).The latter (b) will give an energy-neutral wastewater treatment plant, while this cannot be guaranteed for the first one (a). The example flow diagrams show plant concepts that a) minimize energy consumption by using compact biological and physical/chemical processes combined in an optimal way, for instance by using moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) processes for biodegradation and high-rate particle separation processes, and de-ammonification processes for N-removal and b)maximize energy (biogas) production through digestion by using wastewater treatment processes that minimize biodegradation of the sludge (prior to digestion) and pretreatment of the sludge prior to digestion by thermal hydrolysis. The treatment plant of the future should produce a water quality (for instance bathing water quality) that is sufficient for reuse of some kind (toilet flushing, urban use, irrigation etc.). The paper outlines compact water reclamation processes based on ozonation in combination with coagulation as pretreatment before ceramic membrane filtration. In the paper concepts for domestic wastewater treatment plants of the future are discussed by the use of a) one flow diagram based on established, compact, proven technologies (i.e. nitrification/denitrification for N-removal in the mainstream) and b) one flow diagram based on emerging, compact technologies (i.e. de-ammonification in the main stream).The latter (b) will give an energy-neutral wastewater treatment plant, while this cannot be guaranteed for the first one (a). The example flow diagrams show plant concepts that a) minimize energy consumption by using compact biological and physical/chemical processes combined in an optimal way, for instance by using moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) processes for biodegradation and high-rate particle separation processes, and de-ammonification processes for N-removal and b)maximize energy (biogas) production through digestion by using wastewater treatment processes that minimize biodegradation of the sludge (prior to digestion) and pretreatment of the sludge prior to digestion by thermal hydrolysis. The treatment plant of the future should produce a water quality (for instance bathing water quality) that is sufficient for reuse of some kind (toilet flushing, urban use, irrigation etc.). The paper outlines compact water reclamation processes based on ozonation in combination with coagulation as pretreatment before ceramic membrane filtration.     

Autotrophic denitrification using hydrogen oxidizing bacteria in continuous flow biofilm reactor

Autotrophic denitrification was investigated in five bench‐scale upflow attached growth reactors using hydrogen oxidizing bacteria under anoxic conditions. The performance of sand, granular activated carbon (GAC), crushed pumice, crushed volcanic rock, and plastic media were evaluated as the support material. The reactors were inoculated with acclimated cultures obtained from domestic sewage treatment plant. A synthetic solution containing nitrate was used as the influent. The reactor performance was evaluated by measuring influent and effluent nitrate concentration. The design parameters demonstrated that the effectiveness of autotrophic denitrification is comparable to that of the heterotrophic process and may be utilized economically for drinking water treatment either as the main process or as a supplemental process for ion exchange regenerant treatment.     

Feedforward control for nitrogen removal in a pilot-scale anaerobic-anoxic-oxic plant for municipal wastewater treatment

To improve the efficiency of nitrogen removal with lower energy consumption, the study of feedforward control was carried out on a pilot-scale anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (AAO) plant for the treatment of municipal wastewater. The effluent qualities of the pilot plant under different control strategies were investigated. The results indicated that the change of external recycle was not a suitable approach to regulate the sludge concentration of plug-flow reactors; adjusting the aeration valve and dissolved oxygen set-point according to ammonia load could overcome the impact of influent fluctuation; and the denitrification potential could be estimated based on the transit time of anoxic zone and the relative content of carbon resource entering the anoxic zone. Simple feedforward control strategies for aeration and internal recycle were subsequently proposed and validated. The nitrogen removal was successfully improved in the pilot plant. The effluent total nitrogen had decreased by 29.9% and was steadily controlled below 15 mg·L^-1. Furthermore, approximately 38% of the energy for aeration had been saved.     

Coupled aerobic and anoxic biodegradation for quinoline and nitrogen removals

Quinoline (C₉H₇N) commonly occurs in wastewaters from the chemical, pharmaceutical, and dyeing industries. As quinoline is biodegraded, nitrogen is released as ammonium. Total-N removal requires that the ammonium-N be nitrified and then denitrified. The objective of this study was to couple quinoline biodegradation with total-N removal. In a proof-of-concept step, activated sludge was sequenced from aerobic to anoxic stages. The ammonium nitrogen released from quinoline biodegradation in the aerobic stage was nitrified to nitrate in parallel. Anoxic biodegradation of the aerobic effluent then brought about nitrogen and COD removals through denitrification. Then, simultaneous quinoline biodegradation and total-N removal were demonstrated in a novel airlift internal loop biofilm reactor (AILBR) having aerobic and anoxic zones. Experimental results showed that the AILBR could achieve complete removal of quinoline, 91% COD removal, and 85% total-N removal when glucose added as a supplemental electron donor once nitrate was formed.     

Degradation of benzo[a]pyrene in an experimentally contaminated paddy soil by vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides)

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of growing vetiver grass on the biodegradation of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) under glasshouse conditions. Plant biomass, microbial biomass C and degradation of B[a]P were determined. B[a]P disappeared faster in the plant treatments than in unplanted controls. Disappearance of B[a]P was accompanied by an increase in soil microbial biomass C. Vetiver grass may promote the biodegradation of B[a]P under flooded conditions by plant roots by stimulating the microbial biomass. Microbial biomass was the main factor affecting dissipation of B[a]P under flooded conditions.     

溶氧条件对美人蕉和风车草根系泌氧特征的影响

采用标准氧化染色法研究了美人蕉和风车草在水培畜禽废水自然、缺氧和好氧3种溶氧状态下根系径向泌氧（Radial oxygen loss,ROL）类型的变化和特征,采用显微镜明暗场观察了相应的根系横截面特征。结果发现美人蕉在3种溶氧状态下根系径向泌氧类型分别为均匀强泌氧、根尖强烈泌氧和不泌氧3种;风车草的径向泌氧类型则分别...     

Microphagous ciliates in mesohaline Chesapeake Bay waters: Estimates of growth rates and consumption by copepods

Growth rates of microphagous ciliates (forms which feed primarily on picoplankton-sized prey) were estimated, along with rates of their consumption by copepods, in shipboard experiments conducted in the mesohaline portion of Chesapeake Bay, USA, under contrasting water column conditions in April, June, and August 1987. Estimates were based on temporal changes in cell densities in size-fractionated water samples incubated under in situ conditions. In April, at low temperatures (7 to 10°C) and with oxygen present throughout the water column, similar generation times of ca. 1 to 1.5 d were estimated for surface and deep water (24 m) ciliate populations. In June, water was anoxic below 12 m and a distinct anoxic microphage community grew at about twice the rate of the surface community with generation times of ca. 7 and 14 h, respectively. In August, bottom water was again anoxic, but the sameStrobilidium sp. dominated both surface and deep waters with low or no growth apparent in anoxic waters and a generation time of ca. 8 h in surface waters. Copepod (primarilyAcartia tonsa Dana nauplii) clearance rates for microphagous ciliates in surface waters were 0.11, 0.56, and 0.53 ml h^–1 copepod^–1 for April, June and August, respectively. Calculation of removal rates, based on average densities, indicated that from 34 to 200% of surface waters were cleared d^–1 of microphagous ciliates by copepods.     

Microbiological degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Anthracene,benzo(K)fluoranthene,dibenzothiophene, benzo(H) quinoline and 2‐nitronaphthalene

Biodegradation experiments of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were studied with mixed bacteria culture under aerobic conditions. An easy‐to‐handle clean‐up procedure was developed for PAH and their metabolites simultaneously as well as a gc‐ms‐method to identify and quantify these compounds.

Anthracene and dibenzothiophene are completely degradable in an aqeous system, whereas biodegradation of benzo(k)fluoranthene and benzo(h)quinoline is possible only in an oil‐in‐water‐system with dodecane as cosubstrate. No degradation of nitronaphthalene was observed in aqueous systems. New metabolites are 2,3‐dihydroxybenzothiophene, hydroxybenzothiophenecarbonic acid and benzothiophenequinone for dibenzothiophene and hydroxyfluoranthenic acid for benzo(k)flouranthene. Whereas the former metabolites are degradable under the experimental conditions, the latter accumulates during the degradation experiment.

The results are important for microbiological wastewater treatment, since knowledge of biodegradation processes is indespensable for the successful treatment of PAH‐containing wastewater.     

利用下水管网系统净化城市污水的模拟试验

用固定化细胞技术进行了下水管网系统污水净化的模拟试验,比较研究了厌氧、好氧、厌氧缺氧好氧、缺氧好氧４ 种工艺净化污水的效果．结果表明,在管网系统中设置固定化细胞,采用缺氧好氧工艺流程,可使污水中的污染物去除６０％ 以上,出水水质可达国家污水综合排放二级标准．     

Enantioselective HPLC analysis and biodegradation of atenolol, metoprolol and fluoxetine

The accurate quantification of enantiomers is crucial for assessing the biodegradation of chiral pharmaceuticals in the environment. Methods to quantify enantiomers in environmental matrices are scarce. Here, we used an enantioselective method, high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD), to analyze two beta-blockers, metoprolol and atenolol, and the antidepressant fluoxetine in an activated sludge consortium from a wastewater treatment plant. The vancomycin-based chiral stationary phase was used under polar ionic mode to achieve the enantioseparation of target chiral pharmaceuticals in a single chromatographic run. The method was successfully validated over a concentration range of 20–800 ng/mL for each enantiomer of both beta-blockers and of 50–800 ng/mL for fluoxetine enantiomers. The limits of detection were between 5 and 20 ng/mL and the limits of quantification were between 20 and 50 ng/mL, for all enantiomers. The intra- and inter-batch precision was lower than 5.66 and 8.37 %, respectively. Accuracy values were between 103.03 and 117.92 %, and recovery rates were in the range of 88.48–116.62 %. Furthermore, the enantioselective biodegradation of atenolol, metoprolol and fluoxetine was followed during 15 days. The (S)-enantiomeric form of metoprolol was degraded at higher extents, whereas the degradation of atenolol and fluoxetine did not show enantioselectivity under the applied conditions.     

The impact of the type and position of the halogen atom on the biodegradation of halosubstituted benzyl alcohols

The biodegradation of 2‐halosubstituted and 4‐halosubstituted benzyl alcohols was studied using two sources of biodegrative micro‐organisms: mixed culture from the ?TUDA waste water treatment plant, Dom?ale, and the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium strain MZKI B‐223 (ATCC 24725). The results obtained by this study indicate the interrelationship between the types of micro‐organism used in the experiments and the type and position of the halogen element on the aromatic ring.     

高浓度洗毛废水生物降解的研究

根据高浓度洗毛废水的水质特性,选择、驯化出高效污泥和菌株,并对生物降解该废水时的工艺、污泥量、时间三要素进行了深入的研究．结果表明,对于物化处理彻底的废水, Ｈ／ Ｏ 工艺（ 水解／ 好氧工艺） 与好氧工艺处理差异不大;７０ ％ 左右物化效果时, Ｈ／ Ｏ 工艺处理时, Ｃ Ｏ Ｄｃｒ 去除率增加;废水在处理过程中成分变化大,后段水可用筛选优势菌的方法处理．实验室流动模型运行结果为：在原水ρ（ Ｃ Ｏ Ｄｃｒ） １８５４４ ｍｇ／ Ｌ 和设定ｔ Ｈ Ｒ（ 延滞期） 下,混凝后出水ρ（ Ｃ Ｏ Ｄｃｒ） ５３２２ ｍｇ／ Ｌ,水解池出水ρ（ Ｃ Ｏ Ｄｃｒ） ４７６３ ｍｇ／ Ｌ,好氧池出水 Ｃ Ｏ Ｄｃｒ１９９ ．９ ｍｇ／ Ｌ,总 Ｃ Ｏ Ｄｃｒ去除率为９８ ．９ ％     

蛋白质在城市污水活性污泥处理系统中的降解动力学模型研究

研究了蛋白质在厌氧-缺氧-好氧城市污水处理系统中吸附和降解的特性,分别确定了蛋白质在厌氧、缺氧和好氧条件下的吸附等温线模型,建立了蛋白质在厌氧、缺氧和好氧状态下的降解动力学模型,并对模型预测结果进行了验证分析,结果表明,Freundlich模型可以较好地描述蛋白质在厌氧、缺氧和好氧污泥卜的吸附过程,牛血清白蛋白水解成氨基酸是其生物降解过程的控速步骤,序批式动力学降解试验还表明,厌氧降解速率系数K厌、缺氧降解速率系数k缺与好氧降解速率常数的比值分别为0.40和0.98,说明在同一活性污泥系统的厌氧和缺氧条件下,蛋白质也能被较好地降解,模型得到的各池混合液出水中蛋白质的浓度模拟结果与实测结果相一致(相对误差＜10%).无论在厌氧、缺氧还是好氧环境中,酸溶蛋白质没有积累.     

Microbial activities in a permanently stratified estuary. I. Primary production and sulfate reduction

Physical, chemical and biological parameters have been measured in the water column of Saelenvann, a shallow estuary in western Norway, over a period of nearly 4 years. Due to the presence of a permanent pycnocline, a layer of anoxic water with high sulfide and ammonia concentrations persists under a layer of oxic water with normal photosynthetic and heterotrophic microbial activities. The magnitude of the sulfate reduction in the estuary was correlated with the magnitude of primary productivity. Increases in sulfate reduction following increased primary productivity occurred first in the free anoxic water, and only after an appreciable time lag in the upper sediment layers. The highest rates of sulfate reduction were found just below the interface with the oxic water and in the upper few centimeters of the sediment. It is estimated that twice as much sulfate is reduced in the free water mass as in the sediment. During the summer, the amount of organic material produced by primary productivity exceeds the amount of organic material mineralized by sulfate reduction, the inverse being the case during the winter.     

Using respirometer in biodegradation phenomenon of natural organic matters

This study conducted in monitoring respirometer oxygen consumption of aerobic microorganism during biodegradation processes of ozonated organic matters, which can estimate both biodegraded efficiency and coefficient of natural organic matters (NOMs) in water source. It can be proposed that different ozone dosage might change biodegradation characteristics of organic matters. The result reveals that higher ozone dosage may cause higher biomass yield coefficient of microorganism, and cultured microorganism may easily utilize biodegradation organic matters (BOMs) produced by ozonation, finally increasing overall removal efficiency. Therefore, using respirometer to evaluate the production of BOMs by ozonation before the biological treatment is effective for controling ozone dosage and enhancement of NOMs removal by biological processes.     

Occurrence and behavior of pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plants in eastern China

The occurrence and removal efficiency of seven pharmaceuticals (norfloxacin, trimethoprim, roxithromycin, sulfamethoxazole, ibuprofen, diclofenac and carbamazepine) were determined in three sewage treatment plants (STPs) with anaerobic/anoxic/oxic, anoxic/oxic and oxidation ditches processes in Xuzhou City, Eastern China. The results showed that seven pharmaceuticals were detected in the influent samples with concentrations ranging from 93 to 2540 ng·L⁻¹. The removal of these substances among the three different STPs varied from 36 to 84%, with the highest performance obtained by the wastewater treatment works with tertiary treatment (sand filtration). Most of the compounds were removed effectively during biologic treatment while sand filtration treatment also made a contribution to the total elimination of most pharmaceuticals. The efficiency comparison of the three sewage treatment processes showed that the STP which employed anaerobic/anoxic/oxic was more effective to remove pharmaceuticals than the oxidation ditches and anoxic/oxic.     

Nitrification and denitrification in biological activated carbon filter for treating high ammonia source water

Since the ammonia in the effluent of the traditional water purification process could not meet the supply demand, the advanced treatment of a high concentration of NH₄ ⁺-N micro-polluted source water by biological activated carbon filter (BACF) was tested. The filter was operated in the downflow manner and the results showed that the removing rate of NH₄ ⁺-N was related to the influent concentration of NH₄ ⁺-N. Its removing rate could be higher than 95% when influent concentration was under 1.0 mg/L. It could also decrease with the increasing influent concentration when the NH₄ ⁺-N concentration was in the range from 1.5 to 4.9 mg/L and the dissolved oxygen (DO) in the influent was under 10 mg/L, and the minimum removing rate could be 30%. The key factor of restricting nitrification in BACF was the influent DO. When the influent NH₄ ⁺-N concentration was high, the DO in water was almost depleted entirely by the nitrifying and hetetrophic bacteria in the depth of 0.4 m filter and the filter layer was divided into aerobic and anoxic zones. The nitrification and degradation of organic matters existed in the aerobic zone, while the denitrification occurred in the anoxic zone. Due to the limited carbon source, the denitrification could not be carried out properly, which led to the accumulation of the denitrification intermediates such as NO₂ ^?. In addition to the denitrification bacteria, the nitrification and the heterotrophic bacteria existed in the anoxic zone.     

Removal of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole in artificial composite soil treatment systems and diversity of microbial communities

• Novel ACST allowed biodegradation to effectively remove adsorbed SMX and TMP. • Ammonia and nitrite were efficiently removed in ACSTs and water quality was improved. Four artificial composite soil treatment systems (ACSTs) fed with reclaimed water containing trimethoprim (TMP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) were constructed to investigate SMX and TMP biodegradation efficiency, ammonia and nitrite removal conditions and the microbial community within ACST layers. Results showed SMX and TMP removal rates could reach 80% and 95%, respectively, and removal rates of ammonia and nitrite could reach 80% and 90%, respectively, in ACSTs. The MiSeq sequencing results showed that microbial community structures of the ACSTs were similar. The dominant microbial community in the adsorption and biodegradation layers of the ACSTs contained Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Nitrospirae. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were considerably dominant in the ACST biodegradation layers. The entire experimental results indicated that Nitrosomonadaceae_uncultured, Nitrospira and Bacillus were associated with nitrification processes, while Bacillus and Lactococcus were associated with SMX and TMP removal processes. The findings suggest that ACSTs are appropriate for engineering applications.     

Biodegradation of trace pharmaceutical substances in wastewater by a membrane bioreactor

The biodegradation of selected pharmaceutical micropollutants, including two pharmaceuticals with argued biodegradation, was studied by a lab-scale membrane bioreactor. The reaction kinetics and affecting factors were also investigated in this paper. Clofibric acid (CA) with contradictive biodegradation reported was degraded almost completely at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) after adaptation to microorganisms. The biodegradation of CA was disturbed at low pH operation, while the activity of microorganisms recovered again after pH adjustment to neutral condition. Ibuprofen (IBP) degraded under neutral and acidic conditions. Removals of IBP and CA were zero-order and first-order reactions under high and low initial concentrations, respectively. Carbamazepine and diclofenac were not degraded regardless of HRTs and pH.     

Simultaneous denitrifying phosphorus accumulation in a sequencing batch reactor

In order to achieve simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the biological treatment process, denitrifying phosphorus accumulation (DNPA) and its affecting factors were studied in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with synthetic wastewater. The results showed that when acetate was used as the sole carbon resource in the influent, the sludge acclimatized under anaerobic/aerobic operation had good phosphorus removal ability. Denitrifying phosphorus accumulation was observed soon when fed with nitrate instead of aeration following the anaerobic stage, which is a vital premise to DNPA. If DNPA sludge is fed with nitrate prior to the anaerobic stage, the DNPA would weaken or even disappear. At the high concentration of nitrate fed in the anoxic stage, the longer anoxic time needed, the better the DNPA was. Induced DNPA did not disappear even though an aerobic stage followed the anoxic stage, but the shorter the aerobic stage lasted, the higher the proportions of phosphorus removal via DNPA to total removal.