Effect of operational parameters on the removal of particulate chemical oxygen demand in the activated sludge process.

The removal of particulate material in the aeration basin of the activated sludge process is mainly attributed to bioflocculation and hydrolysis of particulate substrate. The bioflocculation process in the aeration tank of the activated sludge process occurs only under favorable conditions in the system, and several common operational parameters affect its performance. The principal objective of this research was to observe the effect of mixed liquor suspended solids, solids retention time (SRT), and extracellular polymer substances on the removal of particulate substrate by bioflocculation. A first-order particulate removal expression, based on flocculation, accurately described the removal rates for supernatant suspended solids and colloidal chemical oxygen demand. Based on the results presented in this investigation, a mixed liquor concentration of approximately 2200 mg/L, an SRT of at least 3 days, and a contact time of 30 minutes are needed for relatively complete removal of the particulate substrate in a plug-flow reactor.     

阶式生物接触氧化对富营养化太湖水源水中溶解有机物的去除性能研究

构建阶式生物接触氧化反应器处理富营养化太湖水源水，对其净水效能进行研究。结果表明，在优化工况条件下，阶式生物氧化反应器的三阶对太湖水源水中DOC的累积去除率分别为34．4％、40．2％和47．5％，对BDOC的总去除率为68．4％，除生物降解外，填料拦截、生物吸附絮凝等物理、化学作用对去除原水中的DOC仍有重要作用。DOC分子量分级表明，太湖源水中含量最大的是分子量〈500Da的DOC，含量最小的是分子量在5k～500Da间的DOC。阶式生物接触氧化反应器对分子量〈500 Da的DOC的去除率在60％以上，而出水中5k～500 Da区间的DOC含量相比原水增加近1倍。     

Further studies of oxidation processes on filter surfaces: Evidence for oxidation products and the influence of time in service

The sensory pollutants emitted by loaded ventilation filters are assumed to include products formed via oxidation of organics associated with captured particles. In this study, experiments were performed that used either particle production or ozone removal as probes to further improve our understanding of such processes. The measured ratio of downstream to upstream submicron particle concentrations increased when ozone was added to air passing through samples from loaded particle filters. Such an observation is consistent with low volatility oxidation products desorbing from the filter and subsequently partitioning between the gas phase and the surface of particles that have passed through the filter, including particles that were previously too small (<20 nm) to be detected by the instrument used in these studies. A related set of experiments conducted with unused filters and filters that had been in service from 2 to 16 weeks found that ozone removal efficiencies changed in a manner that indicated at least two different removal mechanisms—reactions with compounds present on the filter media following manufacturing and reactions with compounds associated with captured particles. The contribution from the former varies with the type and manufacturer of the filter, while that of the latter varies with the duration of service and nature of the captured particles. In complimentary experiments, a filter sample protected from ozone during its 9 weeks of service had higher ozone removal efficiencies than an identical filter not protected from ozone during the same 9 weeks of service filtering the same air. This result indicates that a filter's exposure history subsequently influences the quantity of oxidation products generated when ozone-containing air flows through it.     

Comparison of polyurethane foam and biodegradable polymer as carriers in moving bed biofilm reactor for treating wastewater with a low C/N ratio

This paper presents a comparison between two different materials used as carriers: inert polyurethane (PU) foam and biodegradable polymer polycaprolactone (PCL) particles for the removal of organics and nitrogen from wastewater with a low C/N ratio using moving bed biofilm reactors. The results, during a monitoring period of four months, showed that TOC and ammonium removal efficiency was higher in reactor 2 filled with PU carriers than in reactor 1 filled with PCL carriers (90% and 65% in the former, compared with 72% and 56% in the latter at an hydraulic retention time of 14 h). Reactor 1 showed good behavior in terms of total nitrogen removal as the biodegradable polymer was an effective substrate providing reducing power for denitrification. From three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix analysis, it was shown that the effluent from reactor 1 contained mainly protein-like and soluble microbial product-like substances.     

Simulating accumulation of biofilms in biotrickling filter

Accumulations and spatial and dynamic variations of biofilms in the media of a biotrickling filter were simulated using mathematical models for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) removal. Toluene was selected as the model VOC. Effects of toluene concentration and gas Empty Bed Contact Time (EBCT) on VOC removal were also investigated. Results showed that biofilm thickness increased with increased operation duration and the growth rate of biofilms increased with increased inlet toluene concentration and EBCT at a constant toluene loading. The profiles of the thickness and growth rate of biofilms along the medium depth dropped gradually at a certain time.     

Fine Particle Control Using Sulfur Oxide Scrubbers

Compliance with sulfur oxides standards will in many cases result in the installation of scrubbing devices. If these devices operate on an effluent gas stream containing particulate as well as sulfur oxides, simultaneous removal would be expected. Since effective simultaneous removal of particulate matter and sulfur oxides is economically desirable, it is of considerable import to characterize scrubber designs being considered as sulfur oxide absorbers as particulate control devices; especially, for fine particulate control.

Data on the fine particle collection efficiency of sulfur oxides scrubbers at two power generating stations is presented. At the first, a venturi and a turbulent contacting absorber (TCA) both with capacities of 30,000 cfm were tested. At the second, a venturi with 600,000 scfm capacity was tested. Fine particle collection efficiency was determined at three pressure drops for the TCA using a cascade impactor. Results for the TCA show high removal efficiencies. It collected more than 90% of submicron particles when the pressure drop was nearly 10 in. H₂0. The overall particulate removal in the TCA scrubber as determined by modified method 5 or by Brink impactor was greater than 99% when the pressure drop was greater than 6 in. H₂0. For both the venturi scrubber at the Shawnee Steam Plant and that at the Mystic Power Station, the collection efficiency decreased rapidly with decreasing particle size in the fine particle region.     

生物活性炭法深度处理纺织废水二级出水中生物活性的研究

采用上流式曝气生物活性炭法处理碱减量印染废水二级生物处理出水,利用TTC-脱氢酶活性(DHA)法监测反应器内DHA生物活性分布.研究发现反应器内生物炭表面附着生物膜活性较高,特别是反应器上部生物碳粒同样具有较高的DHA活性,这与反应器运行一年多能够保持对COD、色度和UV等较高去除率有一定关系.还研究了活性炭吸附、反应器反冲洗对DHA活性的影响.本研究为曝气生物活性炭法有效去除印染碱减量废水中难降解有机物提供了一定的理论依据.     

Membrane Bioreactor Model for Removal of Organics from Wastewater

Abstract

The persistence of trace organics in wastewater effluent is a major environmental concern. Possible use of fixed microbial films in wastewater treatment processes is currently an active area of research that may be able to address many of these problems. In the waste effluent, the persistence of trace organics is attributed, in part, to the inability of microbial populations to extract energy from dilute environments at a rate fast enough to sustain themselves. To address this problem, a novel wastewater treatment scheme is considered. On the basis of previous hollow fiber biomass growth studies, we believe that an anaerobic biofilm supported by hollow fibers could achieve greater biomass density than a film grown on traditional impermeable supports. This in turn could lead to improved substrate removal efficiency in a reactor of a given volume. Using this concept, we developed a mathematical model to test the potential of hollow fiber membrane reactors for biodegradation of acetate solution. A computer simulation has shown that it would be possible to remove about 90% from feed solutions containing 0.1 mg-cm^-3 acetate with biomass density 25 mg-cm^-3 in the hollow fiber supported biofilm. More concentrated feeds could be effectively treated if sufficiently high biomass density could be attained. This process, therefore, shows promise in wastewater treatment. The advantages of hollow fiber membrane bioreactors are their high surface-to-volume ratio, separation of cells from flow, and high cell concentration. All of these are essential requirements for optimum utilization of biomass in wastewater treatment. The hollow fiber membrane bioreactor concept, therefore, may provide a new and unique approach to treating organics.     

Comparison of two biological treatment processes using attached-growth biomass for sanitary landfill leachate treatment

The objective of this investigation was to compare two biological systems using attached-growth biomass, for treatment of leachates generated in a typical municipal solid waste sanitary landfill. A moving-bed biofilm process, which is a relatively new type of biological treatment system, has been examined. It is based on the use of small, free-floating polymeric (polyurethane) elements, while biomass is being grown and attached as biofilm on the surface of these porous carriers. A granular activated carbon (GAC) moving-bed biofilm process was also tested. This method combines both physico-chemical and biological removal mechanisms for the removal of pollutants. The presence of GAC offers a suitable porous media, which is able to adsorb both organic matter and ammonia, as well as to provide an appropriate surface onto which biomass can be attached and grown. A laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was used for the examination of both carriers. The effects of different operation strategies on the efficiency of these biological treatment processes were studied in order to optimize their performance, especially for the removal of nitrogen compounds and of biodegradable organic matter. It has been found that these processes were able to remove nitrogen content almost completely and simultaneously, the removal of organic matter (expressed as BOD5 and COD), color and turbidity were sufficiently achieved.     

Biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls using biofilm grown with biphenyl as carbon source in fluidized bed reactor

This study investigated the use of biofilms in the biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls. The biofilm used was developed on modified cement particles using mixed microbial culture isolated from PCB-contaminated soil. The biofilm formed was first acclimatized to PCBs by feeding the reactor alternately with biphenyl and PCBs. The acclimatized biofilm was tested on simulated PCB-contaminated water containing Aroclor 1260 by using a three-phase fluidized-bed reactor operated in batch mode. The initial batch run yielded 80+/-2.38% PCB removal from medium in one day and 91+/-1.34% in 5 days. The percent PCB removal gradually increased in the succeeding runs reaching 92+/-2.48% in one day and a steady state value of 95+/-2.01% in 5 days from batch eight onwards. PCB removal from the medium was highest during the first day reaching 80-92%. The sudden decrease in PCB concentration was attributed to an initial adsorption of the PCB on the biofilm and then the compound was degraded gradually. Yellow intermediates were observed as the pH of the medium decreased. These intermediate products were further metabolized as indicated by the disappearance of the yellow substance.     

Indoor/outdoor connections exemplified by processes that depend on an organic compound's saturation vapor pressure

Outdoor and indoor environments are profitably viewed as parts of a whole connected through various physical and chemical interactions. This paper examines four phenomena that share a dependence on vapor pressure—the extent to which an organic compound in the gas phase sorbs on airborne particles, sorbs on surfaces, sorbs on particles collected on a filter or activates trigeminal nerve receptors. It also defines a new equilibrium coefficient for the partitioning of organic compounds between an airstream and particles collected by a filter in that airstream. Gas/particle partitioning has been studied extensively outdoors, but sparingly indoors. Gas/surface partitioning occurs primarily indoors while gas/filter partitioning occurs at the interface between outdoors and indoors. Activation of trigeminal nerve receptors occurs at the human interface. The logarithm of an organic compound's saturation vapor pressure correlates in a linear fashion with the logarithms of equilibrium coefficients characteristic of each of these four phenomena. Since, to a rough approximation, the log of an organic compound's vapor pressure scales with its molecular weight, molecular weight can be used to make first estimates of the above processes. For typical indoor conditions, only larger compounds with lower-saturation vapor pressures (e.g., tetracosane, pentacosane, or di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) have airborne particle concentrations comparable to or larger than gas phase concentrations. Regardless of a compound's vapor pressure, the total mass sorbed on indoor airborne particles is quite small compared to the total sorbed on indoor surfaces, reflecting the large difference in surface areas between particles within a room and surfaces within a room. If the actual surface areas are considered, accounting for roughness and porosity, the surface concentration of organics sorbed on typical airborne particles appears to be comparable to the surface concentration of organics sorbed on indoor carpets, walls and other materials (based on data from several studies in the literature). Mirroring the importance of phase distributions outdoors, an organic compound's indoor lifetime, fate and even health impacts depend on its distribution between phases and among surfaces.     

Composition and effects of inhalable size fractions of atmospheric aerosols in the polluted atmosphere: Part I. PAHs,PCBs and OCPs and the matrix chemical composition

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) abundance, mass size distribution (MSD) and chemical composition are parameters relevant for human health effects. The MSD and phase state of semivolatile organic pollutants were determined at various polluted sites in addition to the PM composition and MSD. The distribution pattern of pollutants varied from side to side in correspondence to main particle sources and PM composition. Levels of particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were 1–30 ng m^?3 (corresponding to 15–35 % of the total, i.e., gas and particulate phase concentrations), of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were 2–11 pg m^?3 (4–26 % of the total) and of DDT compounds were 2–12 pg m^?3 (4–23 % of the total). The PM associated amounts of other organochlorine pesticides were too low for quantification. The organics were preferentially found associated with particles <0.45 μm of aerodynamic equivalent diameter. The mass fractions associated with sub-micrometer particles (PM_0.95) were 73–90 %, 34–71 % and 36–81 % for PAHs, PCBs and DDT compounds, respectively. The finest particles fraction had the highest aerosol surface concentration (6.3–29.7)_×10^?6 cm^?1 (44–70 % of the surface concentration of all size fractions). The data set was used to test gas-particle partitioning models for semivolatile organics for the first time in terms of the organics' MSD and size-dependent PM composition. The results of this study prove that at the various sites particles with diverse size, matrix composition, amount of contaminants and toxicological effects occur. Legislative regulation based on gravimetric determination of PM mass can clearly be insufficient for assessment.     

Effects of Sorbent Injection on Participate Properties: Part I. Low-Temperature Sorbent Injection

Abstract

This article is the first of a two-part series dealing with the effects of sorbent injection processes on particulate properties. Part I reviews the effects on particulate properties of low-temperature sorbent injection processes (those processes that treat flue gas at temperatures near 300 °F). Part II reviews the effects on particulate properties of high-temperature sorbent injection processes (those processes that involve sorbent injection into the combustion or economizer sections of a boiler). In this article, we review what is currently known about the effects of the low-temperature sorbent injection processes on electrical resistivity, particulate mass loading, particulate size distribution, particulate morphology and cohesivity.

Mixtures of ash and sorbent produced by low-temperature sorbent injection processes are typically less cohesive than most types of fly ash. At temperatures within 30 °F of the water dew point, the combination of low cohesivity and low electrical resistivity of the ash and sorbent mixtures can cause electrical reentrainment in electrostatic precipitators. Deliquescent additives such as calcium chloride cause the water to be retained on the particle surface, thereby increasing cohesivity.

Sorbent injection has been reported to increase the particulate mass loading by a factor of 1.8 to 10, depending upon the reagent ratio and the coal sulfur content. Conventional and in-duct spray drying processes tend to shift the particle size distribution toward larger particles, while dry injection processes tend to shift the particle size distribution toward smaller particles.     

Applicability of MIEX®DOC process for organics removal from NOM laden water

The aim of this study was to evaluate applicability of ion exchange process for organics removal from Douro River surface water at the intake of Lever water treatment plant using magnetized ion exchange resin MIEX®. Qualitative analysis of the natural organic matter present in the surface water and prediction of its amenability to removal in conventional coagulation process were assessed. Results obtained in MIEX®DOC process kinetic batch experiments allowed determination of ion exchange efficiency in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), UV absorbing organics, and true color removal. The data were compared with the efficiencies of the conventional unit processes for organics removal at Lever WTP. MIEX®DOC process revealed to be more efficient in DOC removal than conventional treatment achieving the efficiencies in the range of 61–91 %, lowering disinfection by-products formation potential of the water. DOC removal efficiency at Lever WTP depends largely on the raw water quality and ranges from 28 % for water of moderated quality to 89 % of significantly deteriorated quality. In this work, MIEX®DOC process was also used as a reference method for the determination of contribution of anionic fraction to dissolved organic matter and selectivity of the unit processes at Lever WTP for its removal.     

Adsorption of PCDD/F on MWI fly ash

The removal of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) from waste incinerator off-gas is a costly task, because a considerable part of the PCDD/F may exist in the gas phase (often 50-100% around 200 degrees C). The volatile fraction passes the particle filter and the subsequent gas cleaning equipment, so that an additional unit is needed to remove the gaseous PCDD/F from the flue gas. Moreover, dioxins and furans can accumulate in some parts of the equipment in a way that they can act as a latent source. In this work, we investigate the possibility to adsorb the PCDD/F at the fly ash particles and to remove them during the filtration. The gas/particle partitioning of the PCDD/F depends on the temperature, the vapor pressure, the particle size, the particle number density and on the physical and chemical properties of the particle surface. These relationships are investigated by model calculations and by pilot scale experiments (500 Nm3/h) which employ one selected hexachlorinated dioxin congener. At room temperature, approx. 90% of the HxCDD are found in the particulate phase, while at 135 degrees C that portion is only 10%. This means that at ambient temperatures, the gas/particle partitioning of the dioxin corresponds well to the sublimation equilibrium. At higher temperatures, it is much different from the sublimation equilibrium and the apparent adsorption enthalpy is smaller than the enthalpy of sublimation. This observation is in agreement with literature data. From the above experiments and from similar literature data, the efficiency of fly ash particles as a sink for PCDD/F can be evaluated. The data suggest that the adsorption rate is not the limiting factor for the transfer into the particulate phase. The important factors appear to be the chemical composition of the fly ash and the temperature.     

Particle size distribution predicts particulate phosphorus removal

Particulate phosphorus (PP) is often the largest component of the total phosphorus (P) load in stormwater. Fine-resolution measurement of particle sizes allows us to investigate the mechanisms behind the removal of PP in stormwater wetlands, since the diameter of particles influences the settling velocity and the amount of sorbed P on a particle. In this paper, we present a novel method to estimate PP, where we measure and count individual particles in stormwater and use the total surface area as a proxy for PP. Our results show a strong relationship between total particle surface area and PP, which we use to put forth a simple mechanistic model of PP removal via gravitational settling of individual mineral particles, based on a continuous particle size distribution. This information can help improve the design of stormwater Best management practices to reduce PP loading in both urban and agricultural watersheds.     

Analysis of organic and inorganic species on the surface of atmospheric aerosol using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS)

This work explores the utility of time-of-flight static secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) for the analysis of the surface organic layer on individual atmospheric aerosol particles. The surface sensitivity and minimal fragmentation available with TOF-SIMS suggest that it can be a powerful tool for the examination of the organic and inorganic species on the surface of individual particles. Cascade impactors were used to collect aerosol from summer 2000 Montana forest fires, winter snowmobile samples in Yellowstone National Park, Hawaiian lava and sea salt, from an Asian Dust event reaching Salt Lake City, Utah in April 2001 and from Salt Lake Valley summer urban aerosol. TOF-SIMS analysis and multivariate statistical techniques combined gave chemical and morphological information about the particles. Surfaces of the aerosol from forest fires, snowmobile exhaust, and sea salt were all dominated by aliphatic hydrocarbons and their amphiphilic derivatives. Each source showed a different organic chemical signature. The extent and composition of the organics layer which typically covers the surface of atmospheric particles are expected to effect all of the surface related aerosol properties such as health effects, the ability of the particle to activate and form cloud droplets, and the aggregation of particles as well as reactions between the particle and gas phase species.     

Simulation of the evolution of particle size distributions containing coarse particulate in the atmospheric surface layer with a simple convection-diffusion-sedimentation model

The Fugitive Dust Model (FDM) and Industrial Source Complex (ISC), widely used coarse particulate dispersion models, have been shown inaccurate due to the neglect of vertical variations in atmospheric wind speed and turbulent diffusivity (Vesovic et al., 2001), omission of the gravitational advection velocity, and an underestimation of the ground deposition velocity (Kim and Larson, 2001). A simple, transient two-dimensional convection-diffusion-sedimentation model is proposed to simulate the evolution in particle size distribution of an aerosol ‘puff’ containing coarse particulate in the atmospheric surface layer. Monin-Okhubov similarity theory, accompanied by empirical observations made by Businger et al. (1971), is adopted to characterize the surface layer wind speed and turbulent diffusivity profiles over a wide range of atmospheric conditions. A first order analysis of the crossing trajectories effect suggests simulation data presented here are not significantly affected by particle inertia. The model is validated against Suffield experimental data in which coarse particulate deposition was measured out to a distance of 800 m from the source (Walker, 1965). Good agreement is found for the decay in ground deposits with distance from the source for stable atmospheres. Deposition data was also simulated for unstable atmospheric stratification and the current model was determined to modestly underestimate the peak concentration with increasing accuracy further downwind of the release. The current model's effective deposition velocity was compared to that suggested by Kim et al. (2000) and shows improvement with respect to FDM. Lastly, the model was used to simulate the dispersion of nine lognormal aerosol puffs in the lowest 50 m of the atmospheric surface layer for four classes of atmospheric stability. The simulated mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMAD) at multiple downwind sampling locations were calculated and plotted with distance from the source. The first 50 m from the source was found to have a substantial impact on the evolution of MMAD for stable atmospheric conditions. Away from the source, it was observed that particle size distributions were truncated by removal of all particles larger than about 60 μm. A particle Peclet number was also defined to quantify the relative importance of turbulent dispersion and sedimentation on particle motion in the vertical direction.     

The effect of a biofilm on solute diffusion in fractured porous media

At sites in fractured rock where contamination has been exposed to the rock matrix for extended periods of time, the amount of contaminant mass residing in the matrix can be considerable. Even though it may be possible to diminish concentrations by the advection of clean water through the fracture features, back diffusion from mass held in the matrix will lead to a continuing source of contamination. In such an event, the development of a biofilm (a thin film of microbial mass) on the wall of the fractures may act to limit or prevent the back diffusion process. The objective of this preliminary study is to explore the influence imparted by the presence of a biofilm on the process of matrix diffusion. The investigation was conducted using radial diffusion cells constructed from rock core in which biofilm growth was stimulated in a central reservoir. Once biofilms were developed, forward diffusion experiments were conducted in which a conservative solute migrated from the central reservoir into the intact rock sample. Diffusion experiments were performed in a total of 11 diffusion cell pairs where biofilm growth was stimulated in one member of the pair and inhibited in the other. The effect of the presence of a biofilm on tracer diffusion was determined by comparison of the diffusion curves produced by each cell pair. A semi-analytical model that accounts for the presence of a biofilm was used to investigate the effect of the biofilm on mass transfer due to changes in the effective porosity, effective diffusion coefficient, and the depth of penetration of the biofilm into the intact rock. The results show that the biofilm acted to plug the rock matrix, rather than forming a discrete layer on the reservoir surface. The reduction in effective porosity due to the biofilm ranged from 6% to 52% with the majority of the samples in the 30% to 50% range. Based on the present results, with more efficient biofilm stimulation, it is reasonable to assume that a more complete plugging of the microcrack porosity might be possible, leaving a much thicker and efficient barrier than could be achieved via a surface biofilm.