Recovery of polyhydroxyalkanoate from activated sludge in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal bench-scale reactor.

A sequencing batch reactor was used to study the possibility of harvesting polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) processes without compromising treatment quality. Because, in EBPR, the highest PHA concentrations are observed after exposure of the sludge to anaerobic conditions, PHA accumulation was evaluated with collection of waste activated sludge (WAS) at the end of the anaerobic stage, in addition to the traditional removal after the aerobic stage. The system achieved good phosphorus removal, regardless of the point of WAS collection. When sludge was harvested at the end of the anaerobic stage, the PHA content of the sludge ranged from 7 to 16 mg PHA/100 mg mixed liquor volatile suspended solids. Although this level of PHA production is below levels obtained with pure cultures, the demonstrated ability to harvest PHA, while simultaneously satisfying phosphorus removal in an EBPR process, is a key initial step towards of the use of wastewater treatment plants for PHA production.     

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate during treatment of low-phosphorus-content wastewater.

To evaluate whether poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production and wastewater treatment could be combined in a single biological process, a bench-scale sequencing batch reactor was operated with sequential anaerobic and aerobic stages and removal of excess sludge at different stages of treatment. The reactor treated synthetic wastewater with a high organic and low nutrient content, simulating industrial wastewater. Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency was more than 90% in all cases. Poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoate accumulation was significant, although it did not appear to be induced by oxygen limitations during the anaerobic stage. Sphaerotilus natans was apparently the dominant PHA-accumulating organism at the end of each reactor run and corresponded to a PHA accumulation of 16 to 20% of the total dry cell mass. Before S. natans dominated the reactors, PHA accumulation was approximately 17% when biomass was removed at the end of the aerobic stage and 6.6% when sludge removal also occurred during the anaerobic stage.     

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate during treatment of tomato cannery wastewater.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production was achieved using tomato cannery waste coupled with a mixed microbial culture during wastewater treatment. The two-stage PHA production process comprised a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), operating under a periodic feast-famine regime, to accomplish simultaneously wastewater treatment and selection of PHA-accumulating microbes, followed by a batch reactor for the production of PHA-rich biomass. The SBRs were efficient at removing soluble carbon (84%), ammonia (100%), and phosphorus (76%). Meanwhile, PHA-accumulating microbes were enriched under the SBR operating conditions, and PHA content on a cell-weight basis was within the range 7 to 11% in nonfiltered wastewater and 2 to 8% in filtered wastewater. Subsequently, batch studies were implemented with varying loading rates, ranging from 0.4 to 3.2 food-to-microorganism ratios. A maximum 20% PHA content on a cell-weight basis was obtained. Based on the experimental results, a PHA biosynthesis-degradation kinetic model was developed to (1) aid in the design of a pilot- or full-scale PHA production process coupled with wastewater treatment and (2) determine optimal conditions for harvest of PHA-rich biomass.     

An integrated anaerobic/aerobic bioprocess for the remediation of chlorinated phenol-contaminated soil and groundwater.

An investigation of biodegradation of chlorinated phenol in an anaerobic/aerobic bioprocess environment was made. The reactor configuration used consisted of linked anaerobic and aerobic reactors, which served as a model for a proposed bioremediation strategy. The proposed strategy was studied in two reactors before linkage. In the anaerobic compartment, the transformation of the model contaminant, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), to lesser-chlorinated metabolites was shown to occur during reductive dechlorination under sulfate-reducing conditions. The consortium was also shown to desorb and mobilize 2,4,6-TCP in soils. This was followed, in the aerobic compartment, by biodegradation of the pollutant and metabolites, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol, and phenol, by immobilized white-rot fungi. The integrated process achieved elimination of the compound by more than 99% through fungal degradation of metabolites produced in the dechlorination stage. pH correction to the anaerobic reactor was found to be necessary because acidic effluent from the fungal reactor inhibited sulfate reduction and dechlorination.     

Anaerobic nonylphenol ethoxylate degradation coupled to nitrate reduction in a modified biodegradability batch test

The aim of this work was to elucidate the role of nitrate as a terminal electron acceptor on the biodegradation of NPEO. We have characterized the products of NPEO degradation by mixed microbial communities in anaerobic batch tests by means of HPLC, ¹H NMR and GC–MS. Anaerobic degradation of NPEO was strictly dependent on the presence of nitrate. Within seven days of anoxic incubation, NP2EO appeared as the major degradation product. After 21 days, NP was the main species detected, and was not degraded further even after 35 days. Nitrate concentration decreased in parallel with NPEO de-ethoxylation. A transient accumulation of nitrite was observed within the time period in which NP formation reached its maximum production. The observed generation of nonylphenol coupled to nitrate reduction suggests that the microbial consortium possessed an alternate pathway for the degradation of NPEO, which was not accessible under aerobic conditions.     

内循环厌氧反应器的启动及影响因素

采用内循环(IC)厌氧反应器,以生产淀粉和酒精的混合废水为处理对象,研究了中温条件下IC反应器的启动及影响因素。结果表明:接种厌氧消化污泥进行培养,逐渐提高进水有机负荷,运行105 d后,可实现IC反应器的启动;当进水COD浓度为11 500 mg/L,有机容积负荷为6.13 kg COD/(m3·d),COD去除率能到达95%左右;水力停留时间对启动过程没有影响,而温度和温度波动影响COD去除率;VFA比pH更能准确快速地反眏出反应器内部环境的变化,防止反应器的酸化;反应器内污泥实现颗粒化,并且具有良好的沉降性。     

Electrochemical determination of anaerobic microbial decay coefficients

The biokinetics of attached and suspended bacteria are an essential component of activated sludge models, anaerobic digestion models and biofilm models. These parameters are often assumed or “confirmed” based on the goodness-of-fit of the bioprocess models. Using a microbial fuel cell with a baffled reactor chamber, the attached- and mixed-growth microbial decay coefficients were evaluated under anaerobic conditions. The capability for real-time voltage recording allows easy and accurate measurement of the anaerobic microbial decay coefficients (b_L, lysis-regrowth approach), which were determined to be 0.11 ± 0.01 and 0.15 ± 0.01 d⁻¹ for attached (to anode) and mixed (present in the anode chamber) growth microorganisms, respectively. The corresponding half-saturation constants using glucose as a substrate were 204 ± 10 and 123 ± 1 mg COD l⁻¹. Hence, like an oxygen uptake rate-based approach to measure the microbial kinetics under aerobic conditions, the electrochemical recording provides an attractive method to measure anaerobic microbial decay coefficients.     

有机碳源条件下厌氧氨氧化SBBR中的微生物多样性

研究有机碳源对SBBR厌氧氨氧化菌群等微生物的影响。采用16S rDNA序列与PCR-DGGE分析技术相结合的方法,对稳定运行的反应器内的活性污泥和生物膜样品,进行细菌多样性图谱分析,同时采用巢式PCR-DGGE技术对浮霉状菌属(Planctomycetes)细菌进行分析。结果表明,在有机碳源反应系统细菌条带数和多样性指数均高于无机系统,与活性污泥相比,生物膜表尤为明显。当进水不含有机碳源时,氨氧化细菌(ammonia oxidizing bacteria,AOB),厌氧氨氧化菌(anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria,ANAMMOX)为优势功能菌;当进水含有机碳源时,系统中存在的AOB以亚硝化单胞菌(Nitrosomonas sp.)为优势菌群,同时存在反硝化菌,如索氏菌(Thauera sp.)以及厌氧氨氧化菌,它们共同作用完成N的去除。此外,与无机碳源系统相比,有机碳源的存在,有利于浮霉状菌的积累,但压缩了ANAMMOX的生存空间。本研究可为厌氧氨氧化工艺处理低C/N比有机废水提供了理论依据。     

Laboratory evaluation of thermophilic-anaerobic digestion to produce Class A biosolids. 1. Stabilization performance of a continuous-flow reactor at low residence time.

There is increasing interest in the United States in producing biosolids from municipal wastewater treatment that meet the criteria for Class A designation established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Class A biosolids are intended to be free of pathogens and also must meet requirements for reduction of the vector-attraction potential associated with untreated sludge. High-temperature processes are considered to produce Class A biosolids if the combination of operating temperature and treatment time exceeds minimum criteria, but this option is not applicable to mixed, continuous-flow reactors. Such reactors, or any combination of reactors that does not meet the holding time requirement at a specific temperature, must be demonstrated to inactivate pathogens to levels consistent with the Class A criteria. This study was designed to evaluate pathogen inactivation by thermophilic anaerobic digestion in a mixed, continuous-flow reactor followed by batch or plug-flow treatment. In this first of a two-part series, we describe the performance of a continuous-flow laboratory reactor with respect to physical and chemical operating parameters; microbial inactivation in the combined continuous-flow and batch treatment system is described in the second part. Sludges from three different sources were treated at 53 degrees C, while sludge from one of the sources was also treated at 55 and 51 degrees C. Relatively short hydraulic retention times (four to six days) were used to represent a conservative operating condition with respect to pathogen inactivation. Treatment of a fermented primary sludge led to an average volatile-solids (VS) destruction efficiency of 45%, while VS destruction for the other two sources was near or below 38%, the Class A criterion for vector attraction reduction. Consistent with other studies on thermophilic anaerobic digestion of sludges at short residence times, effluent concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were relatively high. Also consistent with other studies, the most abundant VFA in the effluent was propionate. Gas production ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 m3/kg VS fed and from 0.8 to 1.3 m3/kg VS destroyed.     

垃圾压缩站污水的生物强化处理

垃圾压缩站污水是一种具有高COD、高NH3-N特点的有机污水.以厌氧/好氧组合工艺为基础,通过投加高效菌株对活性污泥系统进行生物强化.实验结果表明,与空白相比,厌氧出水COD去除率提高约30%,好氧出水NH3-N去除率提高约20%.最终出水COD《120 mg/L, NH3-N《25 mg/L,均达到《污水综合排放标准》(GB 8978-1996)二级排放标准.     

有机负荷对厌氧流化床反应器处理模拟味精废水的影响

在中温(35±1℃)条件下,以新型橡胶颗粒为载体的厌氧流化床(AFB)反应器处理模拟味精废水为研究体系,考察有机负荷(OLR)由2.08 kg/(m3.d)提高到19.20 kg/(m3.d)期间,污染物去除率、胞外聚合物(EPS)含量及其在生物膜和混合液中的分布、生物膜中MLVSS含量及脱氢酶活性等的变化情况。结果表明,随有机负荷增加,污染物去除稳定,COD去除率维持在80%左右;EPS在生物膜中的量大于在混合液中的量,并以蛋白质为主要成分,但其总量呈递减趋势;当有机负荷为19.20 kg/(m3.d)时,生物膜中MLVSS含量约为23.1 mg/g载体,脱氢酶活性则为22.6 mg/(L.h);载体生物膜的生物相以独缩虫属、聚缩虫属、累枝虫属和钟虫等为主。     

Protocol for early detection and evaluation of inhibitory wastewater using combined aerobic respirometric and anaerobic batch techniques.

Faced with the task of treating significant volumes of complex industrial wastewaters, the biological components of municipal wastewater treatment plants are operating under the risk of toxic or inhibitory contaminants from the industrial effluents that may be detrimental to their operation. This might lead to undesirable effluent toxicity and/or result in permit violations. Therefore, there is a need for upset early warning systems that can protect full-scale plants from toxic or inhibitory constituents in the incoming wastewaters. This study focused on the development of a protocol for rapid detection of potentially toxic inhibitory or toxic wastewaters using combined aerobic respirometric and anaerobic batch techniques. Aerobic respirometers equipped with automated data acquisition systems were used as potential early warning devices. The inhibition effect on carbon and nitrogen oxidation was assessed. The degree of inhibition was evaluated as the concentration causing 50% reduction in microbial activity, which was estimated by an inhibition model. Anaerobic toxicity assays were also conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effects of the toxic compounds to anaerobic inocula obtained from a master culture reactor fed with ethanol. The developed protocol for early detection of toxicity was validated using wastewater samples from a biotechnology industry and a food processing industry, and pure chemicals such as furfural and phenol. Varying degrees of sensitivity were observed in the study when different groups of microorganisms, wastewater samples, and chemicals were tested. The comparison of aerobic and anaerobic inhibition suggested the importance of using both aerobic and anaerobic cultures to maximize the necessary sensitivity of the protocol.     

Parameters governing permeate flux in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating low-strength municipal wastewaters: a literature review.

The objective of this review was to conduct a comprehensive literature survey to identify the parameters that govern the permeate flux in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treating municipal wastewater. Based on the survey, research to date indicates that the optimal membrane system for an AnMBR consists of an organic, hydrophilic, and negatively charged membrane with a pore size of approximately 0.1 microm. The use of both external and submerged membrane configurations shows promise. The operating parameters that affect permeate flux in an external membrane system are transmembrane pressure (TMP) and cross-flow velocity. The operating parameters that affect permeate flux in a submerged membrane system are TMP, sparging intensity, and duration of the relaxation period. Both cross-flow velocity and sparging intensity impart a significant amount of shear force on the biomass in an AnMBR. High shear forces can reduce the microbial activity in an AnMBR. In addition, high shear forces can reduce the size of the biosolids in the mixed liquor and increase the release of soluble microbial products. In this respect, external and submerged membrane systems are expected to perform differently because the magnitude of the shear forces to which the biomass is exposed in an external membrane system is significantly greater than that in a submerged system. The size of the biosolid particles and concentration of soluble microbial products in the mixed liquor affect permeate flux. Higher concentrations of soluble microbial products may be present in the mixed liquor when an AnMBR is operated at relatively low operating temperatures. Aerobic polishing following anaerobic treatment can potentially significantly reduce the concentration of some components of the soluble microbial products in the mixed liquor. It is not possible to remove the foulant layer on an organic membrane with caustic cleaning alone. Acidic cleaning or acidic cleaning followed by caustic cleaning is required to remove the foulant layer. This suggests that both biological/organic and inorganic material contribute to membrane fouling.     

Combined anaerobic/aerobic digestion: effect of aerobic retention time on nitrogen and solids removal

A combined anaerobic/aerobic sludge digestion system was studied to determine the effect of aerobic solids retention time (SRT) on its solids and nitrogen removal efficiencies. After the anaerobic digester reached steady state, effluent from the anaerobic digester was fed to aerobic digesters that were operated at 2- to 5-day SRTs. The anaerobic system was fed with a mixture of primary and secondary sludge from a local municipal wastewater treatment plant. Both systems were fed once per a day. The aerobic reactor was continuously aerated with ambient air, maintaining dissolved oxygen level at 1.1 +/- 0.3 mg/L. At a 4-day or longer SRT, more than 11% additional volatile solids and 90% or greater ammonia were removed in the aerobic digester, while 32.8 mg-N/L or more nitrite/nitrate also was measured. Most total Kjeldahl nitrogen removal was via ammonia removal, while little organic nitrogen was removed in the aerobic digester.     

Biological nitrogen and carbon removal in a gravity flow biomass concentrator reactor for municipal sewage treatment

A novel membrane system, the Biomass Concentrator Reactor (BCR), was evaluated as an alternative technology for the treatment of municipal wastewater. Because the BCR is equipped with a membrane whose average poresize is 20 μm (18–28 μm), the reactor requires low-pressure differential to operate (gravity). The effectiveness of this system was evaluated for the removal of carbon and nitrogen using two identical BCRs, identified as conventional and hybrid, that were operated in parallel. The conventional reactor was operated under full aerobic conditions (i.e., organic carbon and ammonia oxidation), while the hybrid reactor incorporated an anoxic zone for nitrate reduction as well as an aerobic zone for organic carbon and ammonia oxidation. Both reactors were fed synthetic wastewater at a flow rate of 71 L d^?1, which resulted in a hydraulic retention time of 9 h. In the case of the hybrid reactor, the recycle flow from the aerobic zone to the anoxic zone was twice the feed flow rate. Reactor performance was evaluated under two solids retention times (6 and 15 d). Under these conditions, the BCRs achieved nearly 100% mixed liquor solids separation with a hydraulic head differential of less than 2.5 cm. The COD removal efficiency was over 90%. Essentially complete nitrification was achieved in both systems, and nitrogen removal in the hybrid reactor was close to the expected value (67%).     

(AO)_2SBR同步脱氮除磷的研究

以人工配水为研究对象,采用厌氧/好氧/缺氧/好氧交替运行的序批式反应器,研究了(AO)2SBR系统同步脱氮除磷的效果,并结合批式实验讨论了同步脱氮除磷的反应机理。研究结果表明,该系统以厌氧1.5 h、好氧1 h、缺氧3h、好氧0.5 h的方式运行,在DO=2.5 mg/L,SRT=15 d的条件下,具有良好的脱氮除磷效果,配水中的总氮、总磷、COD和总有机碳的去除率分别为96.26%、99.87%、90.46%和85.57%。批式实验表明,合成的内碳源越多,氨氮的硝化越充分,反硝化除磷越多。     

Ultrasound and ozone assisted biological degradation of thermally pretreated and anaerobically pretreated distillery wastewater

The present work is aimed at increasing the overall efficiency of the treatment process of distillery spent wash using a combination of different treatment techniques. Initially the effluent samples were subjected to Thermal Pretreatment (TPT-DW) and anaerobic treatment (ANA-DW). Advanced oxidation techniques, viz., Ultrasound (US) and Ozone were then used for further COD reduction followed by the conventional aerobic oxidation using mixed microbial consortium. Pretreatment of TPT-DW with US and Ozone (as stand alone techniques) enhanced the subsequent aerobic oxidation rate. For US treated sample, a maximum of 13% COD reduction was attained at the end of 48 h of aerobic oxidation, while for the ozone treated effluent a maximum of 45.6% COD reduction was obtained as compared to mere 1.8% COD reduction for the control (TPT-DW directly subjected to aerobic oxidation) indicating a 25 times increase in the rate of aerobic biodegradation of ozonated sample. Anaerobically treated effluent sample (ANA-DW) could be successfully treated aerobically. In this case, however, the use of advanced oxidation techniques did not result in any synergistic effects. The rate of the aerobic oxidation was slightly higher for the control (ANA-DW directly subjected to aerobic oxidation) as compared to the sample pretreated using ultrasound or ozonation. TOC analysis revealed that between the two pretreatments studied, ozone was found to be superior over US as it led to both COD as well as TOC reduction during the aerobic oxidation step for ANA-DW effluent stream.     

Destruction of lindane and atrazine using stabilized iron nanoparticles under aerobic and anaerobic conditions: effects of catalyst and stabilizer

Highly stable Fe-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared with 0.2% (w/w) of sodium carboxylmethylcellulose (CMC) as a stabilizer. The effectiveness of the stabilized Fe-Pd nanoparticles was studied for degradation of two chlorinated pesticides (lindane and atrazine) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Batch kinetic tests showed that under anaerobic condition the nanoparticles can serve as strong electron donors and completely reduce 1 mgl(-1) of lindane at an iron dose of 0.5 gl(-1) or 1mg l(-1) of atrazine with 0.05 gl(-1) iron with a trace amount (0.05-0.8% of Fe) of Pd as a catalyst. In contrast, under aerobic condition, the nanoparticles can facilitate Fenton-like reactions, which lead to oxidation of 65% of lindane under otherwise identical conditions. Under aerobic condition, the presence of CMC reduced the level of hydroxyl radicals generated from the nanoparticels by nearly 50%, and thus, inhibited the oxidation of the contaminants. While the particle stabilization greatly enhanced the anaerobic degradation, it did not appear to be beneficial under aerobic condition. The degradation rate was progressively enhanced as the Pd content increased from 0.05% to 0.8% of Fe, and the catalytic effect of Pd was more significant under anaerobic condition. Under anaerobic condition, lindane is degraded via dihaloelimination and dehydrohalogenation, whereas atrazine is by reductive dechlorination followed by subsequent reductive dealkylation. Under aerobic condition, reactive oxygen species and hydroxyl radicals from the iron nanoparticles are responsible for oxidizing the pesticides. Lindane is oxidized via dechlorination/dehydrohalogenation, whereas atrazine is destroyed through dealkylation of the alkylamino side chain.     

Towards the selection of a produced water enrichment for biological gas hydrate inhibitors

Economic concerns associated with the recovery of non-conventional hydrocarbon reserves include unexpected ice as well as ice-like gas hydrate formation. Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) inhibit ice growth, and experiments with fish, plant, and insect AFPs have shown promise of effective gas hydrate inhibition in lab-scale experiments. If produced on an industrial scale, AFPs could provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to kinetic inhibitors, but a large-scale production of these AFPs is not currently feasible. We believe that these difficulties could be surmounted by the production of microbial AFPs, but to date, only a few such proteins have been identified and purified, and none of these are associated with hydrocarbon reserves. Here, we have used ice-affinity and freeze-thaw stress to select microbes derived from oil and gas formation water, or produced water, as a source of anaerobic microbial communities. Ice-affinity successfully incorporated anaerobic bacteria under aerobic conditions, and the mixed culture had ice-associating properties. Under these conditions, ice-affinity selection does not result in cultivatable isolates, but similar, cultivable microbes were obtained following freeze-thaw selection under anaerobic conditions. Since these mixed cultures inhibited the growth of ice crystals, they also have the potential to inhibit hydrate growth. Overall, freeze-thaw selection provides a promising first step towards the isolation of microbes capable of the inhibition of ice and gas hydrate growth, for possible application for energy exploration and recovery at high-latitudes and in-deep, cold waters.