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.     

Existence of nonpoint source of perfluorinated compounds and their loads in the Tsurumi River basin, Japan

Products containing perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have been widely used during the last 50 years. As a result, worldwide environmental pollution by PFCs has been reported. The sources of PFC pollution in the aquatic environment have been poorly understood. In this study, river water and sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent were sampled along the stretch of the Tsurumi River and also at a fixed station in the river. The concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were measured. With an increase in river flow rate, it was observed that the PFC concentrations in the river water at fixed station were remained the same or increased for PFOS (179.9+/-34.4-179.6+/-69.5 ng l(-1)), PFHxA (5.5+/-0.8-9.0+/-2.6 ng l(-1)), PFHpA (3.1+/-0.3-4.4+/-1.0 ng l(-1)), and PFOA (15.9+/-0.3-13.4+/-2.5 ng l(-1)) whereas the concentration of PFNA (38.0+/-3.3-15.4+/-3.0 ng l(-1)) and PFDA (3.9+/-0.3-2.1+/-0.3 ng l(-1)) were decreased. On the other hand, the loads of every PFC increased with an increase in river flow rate. The loads of PFCs in rain runoff were estimated to be 2-11 times greater than those in STP effluents that are discharged into the river. These results indicate the existence of a PFC nonpoint source (NPS) and its impact to the total PFC load of river is significant.     

Oxidation-reduction potential changes in aeration tanks and microprofiles of activated sludge floc in medium- and low-strength wastewaters.

Real-time control of aeration tank operation is key to high-efficiency pollutant removal and energy savings. One of the aims of this study was to examine the potential for using redox potential (oxidation-reduction potential [ORP]) to indicate wastewater quality online in aeration tanks treating medium (chemical oxygen demand [COD] of 70 to 150 mg/L) and low (COD of 15 to 30 mg/L) pollutant-concentration wastewaters. The field-scale data provide a good relationship between ORP values and nutrient removal along the length of the aeration tanks. The ORP values increased dramatically as organic matter was removed along the aeration tanks, indicating the improvement of the bulk liquor redox status. Dissolved oxygen higher than 1.0 mg/L was necessary for good biodegradation and improvement of the liquid redox status. Nitrification occurred at higher ORP values (380 to 420 mV) than was the case for organic substrate oxidation (250 to 300 mV). The microprofiles obtained from microelectrode measurements substantiate the heterogeneity of the microbial processes inside activated sludge flocs. Because of microbial oxygen utilization, the aerobic region in the activated sludge floc was limited to the top layer (0.1 to 0.2 mm) of the activated sludge aggregate present in medium-strength wastewater, with an anoxic zone dominating inside the flocs. When dissolved oxygen in the bulk water was higher than 4.0 mg/L, the anoxic zone inside the floc disappeared. At low wastewater pollutant concentrations, the ORP and dissolved oxygen inside the activated sludge aggregates were higher than those from medium-strength wastewater. The prospect of using ORP as an online control approach for aeration tank operation and the potential reasons for activated sludge floc size varying with pollutant strengths are also discussed.     

Enhancement of batch waste activated sludge digestion by microwave pretreatment.

Batch anaerobic digesters were used to stabilize microwave (MW)-irradiated waste activated sludge (WAS). A low temperature range (50-96 degrees C) MW irradiation was applied. Effects of pretreatment temperature (T) and intensity (I), concentration (C) and percentage of sludge pretreated (PT) were investigated in a multilevel factorial statistical design containing 54 mesophilic batch reactors by monitoring cumulative biogas production (CBP). Variance analysis (ANOVA) determined that the most important factors affecting WAS solubilization were temperature, intensity, and sludge concentration. Improvements in CBP from WAS were significantly affected by sludge percentage pretreated, temperature, and concentration. Pretreatment resulted in 3.6 +/- 0.6 and 3.2 +/- 0.1 fold increases in soluble to total chemical oxygen demand (SCOD/TCOD) at high and low sludge concentrations, respectively. WAS, microwaved to 96 degrees C, produced the greatest improvement in CBP with 15 +/- 0.5 and 20 +/- 0.3% increases over controls after 19 d of digestion at low and high WAS concentrations. Dewaterability of microwaved sludge was enhanced after anaerobic digestion.     

实际污水与模拟污水活性污泥系统的特性差异

实验中经常采用人工配置的模拟生活污水,为了研究其与实际生活污水活性污泥系统的特性差异,采用2个序批式间歇反应器(SBR)进行平行实验(厌氧、好氧方式运行),系统地考察了在进水主要组分和运行参数相同的情况下,不同原水对活性污泥系统脱氮、除磷、比好氧速率、污泥絮体形态和出水水质等方面的影响。结果表明,模拟污水系统的硝化活性强于实际污水系统,两者的平均硝化速率分别为7.43 mg NH4+-N/(L.h)和5.55 mg NH4+-N/(L.h)。在前置厌氧段,模拟污水系统的释磷量比实际污水系统高出36.45%。两者在后续好氧阶段都能够充分吸磷。模拟污水系统的平均比好氧速率(SOUR)高达64.54 mg O2/(g MLSS.h),而实际污水系统的则只有32.81 mg O2/(g MLSS.h)。模拟污水系统的污泥絮体疏松,粒径小,形状不规则,沉降性差,沉后出水平均悬浮物浓度(SS)为20 mg/L;而实际污水系统的污泥絮体则密实、粒径大,沉降性好,沉后水十分清澈,SS几乎检测不出。     

Investigation of Cr(VI) reduction in continuous-flow activated sludge systems

The aim of this research was to investigate hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), reduction by activated sludge and to evaluate the use of continuous-flow activated sludge systems for the treatment of Cr(VI)-containing wastewater. Three series of experiments were conducted using two parallel lab-scale activated sludge systems. During the first experiment, one system was used as a control, while the other received Cr(VI) concentrations equal to 0.5, 1, 3 and 5mg l(-1). For all concentrations added, approximately 40% of the added Cr(VI) was removed during the activated sludge process. Determination of chromium species in the dissolved and particulate phase revealed that the removed Cr(VI) was sorbed by the activated sludge flocs mainly as trivalent chromium, Cr(III), while the residual chromium in the dissolved phase was mainly detected as Cr(VI). Activated sludge ability to reduce Cr(VI) was independent of the acclimatization of biomass to Cr(VI) and it was not affected by the toxic effect of Cr(VI) on autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms. During the second experiment, both systems were operated under two different hydraulic residence time (theta equal to 20 and 28h) and three different initial organic substrate concentration (COD equal to 300, 150 and 0mg l(-1)). Cr(VI) reduction was favored by an increase of theta, while it was limited by influent COD concentration. Finally, at the last experiment the effect of anoxic and anaerobic reactors on Cr(VI) reduction was investigated. It was observed that the use of an anoxic zone or an anaerobic-anoxic zone ahead of the aerobic reactor favored Cr(VI) reduction, increasing mean percentage Cr(VI) reduction to almost 80%.     

Assessment of the importance of sorption for steroid estrogens removal during activated sludge treatment

Distribution coefficients (K(d)) between water and activated sludge particles (f(oc)=27.7+/-0.1%) were measured for the steroid estrogens (SE), estrone (E1), 17beta-estradiol (E2) and 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in batch experiments. Experimental concentration levels ranged from environmentally realistic low ng/l to the high microg/l. In this range K(d)s were independent of their water concentration. The experimentally obtained K(d)s (with 95% confidence intervals) were 402+/-126 l/kg, 476+/-192 l/kg and 584+/-136 l/kg for E1, E2 and EE2, respectively. K(d)s were used to estimate the fraction of the total SE concentration that is expected to be sorbed in the activated sludge treatment tanks of a typical STP assuming equilibrium conditions. Assuming a suspended solids concentration of 4 g/l dissolved solids (ds), it was estimated that 61+/-9%, 66+/-13% and 70+/-6% of the total concentration of E1, E2 and EE2, respectively, would be sorbed during activated sludge treatment. The fraction of the SEs that was expected to be sorbed to suspended sludge particles in the effluents from a typical Danish STP was estimated to be only 0.20+/-0.06%, 0.24+/-0.10% and 0.29+/-0.07% of the total concentration of E1, E2 and EE2, respectively, at a suspended solids concentration of 5 mg/lds. For a typical STP the removal of steroid estrogens with excess sludge was estimated to be only 1.5-1.8% of the total loading if equilibrium conditions exists. Sorption is therefore not important for the fate of SEs in STPs compared to biodegradation.     

Enhanced anaerobic biodegradability and inactivation of fecal coliforms and Salmonella spp. in wastewater sludge by using microwaves.

During continuous operation of three mesophilic-anaerobic digesters, the effect of microwave irradiation, as sludge thermal pretreatment (60 to 65 degrees C), was studied. The fecal coliforms log inactivation for microwaved/digested sludge was 4.2 +/- 0.4, whereas for conventionally heated/digested sludge and control were 2.9 +/- 0.5 and 1.5 +/- 0.5, respectively. In the case of Salmonella spp., no colonies were detected in 85% of the microwaved/digested samples. Considering the detection limit, the log inactivation of these samples was greater than 2.0 +/- 0.3. The conventionally heated/digested sludge and control showed log inactivations of 1.9 +/- 0.2 and 1.1 +/- 0.3, respectively. At the 95% confidence level, microwaved/digested sludge increased the biogas production by 16.4 +/- 5.6% and 6.3 +/- 2.4%, as compared to control and conventionally heated/digested sludge, respectively. When thermally treated sludge was analyzed for soluble chemical oxygen demand, microwaved waste-activated sludge showed considerable solubilization between 37 and 60 degrees C. Microwaved/digested sludge showed a reduction of capillary suction times by 11.1 +/- 5.9% and 10.7 +/- 5.6%, as compared to control and conventionally heated/digested sludge, respectively.     

Effects of chlorination on the adhesion strength and deflocculation of activated sludge flocs.

A side effect of the application of chlorine for controlling filamentous bulking is deflocculation of floc-forming bacteria, which may cause unacceptable effluent deterioration depending on dosing. It was assumed that chlorine may adversely affect the adhesion ability of floc bacteria, promoting their erosion in shear flow. The effect of chlorination on the strength of activated sludge flocs was investigated. The adhesion-erosion (AE) model developed by Mikkelsen and Keiding was used to interpret results from deflocculation tests with varying shear and solids concentration. The AE model yields the adhesion enthalpy (deltaHG/R) of cells in sludge flocs and parameters from the model were used to quantify the sludge in terms of floc strength. Two activated sludges with different initial characteristics were studied. The resulting model parameters showed that the AE model was suitable for quantifying the bond energy of particles to the activated sludge exposed to chlorine. For one activated sludge, adhesion of cells was largely unaffected by the applied chlorine doses. A second sludge showed reduced adhesion strength with chlorine, leading to increasing deflocculation. The simple batch test and AE model proved valuable for assessing the effect of chlorination on the flocs in activated sludge. By use of these procedures, it is possible to determine acceptable chlorine dosing to avoid excessive deflocculation and effluent deterioration.     

Competitive adsorption and desorption of arsenate,vanadate, and molybdate onto the low-cost adsorbent materials alum water treatment sludge and bauxite

When low-cost adsorbents are being used to remove contaminant ions (e.g. arsenate, vanadate, and molybdate) from wastewater, competitive adsorption/desorption are central processes determining their removal efficiency. Competitive adsorption of As, V, and Mo was investigated using equimolar oxyanion concentrations in single, binary, and tertiary combinations in adsorption isotherm and pH envelope studies while desorption of previously adsorbed oxyanions was examined in solutions containing single and binary oxyanion combinations. The low-cost adsorbent materials used were alum water treatment sludge (amorphous hydroxy-Al) and bauxite ore (crystalline Al oxides). Adsorption isotherm and pH envelope studies showed that Mo had only a small effect in decreasing adsorption of As and V but V and As had substantial and similar effects in reducing adsorption of the other. As had a greater effect than V in reducing adsorption of Mo and it was concluded that the affinity of oxyanions for the surfaces of water treatment sludge and bauxite followed the order As > V >> Mo. In 0.3 M NaCl electrolyte, desorption of previously adsorbed oxyanions amounted to 0.3–3.4% for V and As, and 11–20% for Mo. As had approximately four times greater effect than Mo in increasing desorption of V while V had about three times the effect of Mo in increasing desorption of As. Thus, the order of oxyanions in inducing desorption of the other oxyanions (i.e. As on V and As) was the same as that for adsorption selectivity: As > V >> Mo. Water treatment sludge was a more effective adsorbent than bauxite because it had a greater adsorption capacity for all three anions and, in addition, they were held more strongly so desorption in the background electrolyte was proportionately less. It was concluded that at similar molar concentrations, arsenate would tend to reduce adsorption of vanadate as well as displace vanadate already held on adsorbent surfaces while both anions will compete effectively with molybdate. The limiting factor for simultaneous removal of As, V, and Mo from multielement solutions by adsorption will therefore be the removal of Mo.     

调理污泥在剪切测试过程中的絮体与聚集体之间的转化研究

通过分析Floccky流变测试过程中不同持续剪切时间下调理污泥絮体的流变、几何和物理特征的变化,探讨了上述过程中絮体与聚集体之间的转化。结果表明,在zetag7557阳离子有机高分子絮凝剂的最佳调理投药量下,调理污泥体系的弹性网络结构的强度和耐剪切力达到最大。当絮凝剂投加到污泥悬浊体系中,大尺寸的聚集体立即出现,而且在一定范围内,随着持续剪切时间的延长,这些聚集体继续生长,此后,随着持续剪切进行,这些聚集体逐渐变成小甚至成为越来越小的絮体。在上述过程中,Floccky流变曲线上的扭矩值也呈现类似的变化趋势;弹性网络结构强度的极值出现在形成大尺寸聚集体的调理污泥体系中,但形成最大的聚集体或平均直径的调理污泥体系并不能保证弹性网络结构强度达到极值,而且调理污泥絮体分形维数的极值与Floccky流变曲线上特征峰的极值并不重合。此外,残余在悬浊体系中的zet-ag7557絮凝剂可以中和部分因调理污泥絮体剪切破碎后新出现的表面负电荷。     

Influences of influent carbon source on extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and physicochemical properties of activated sludge

It is necessary to understand the bioflocculation, settling and dewatering characteristics in the activated sludge process in order to establish more efficient operational strategies. The influences of carbon source on the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and flocculation, settling and dewatering properties of the activated sludge were investigated. Laboratory-scale completely mixed activated sludge processes were used to grow the activated sludge with different carbon sources of starch, glucose and sodium acetate. The sludge fed with acetate had highest loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and that fed with starch lowest. The amount of tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS), protein content in LB-EPS, polysaccharide content and protein contents in TB-EPS, were independent of the influent carbon source. The polysaccharide content in LB-EPS of the activated sludge fed with sodium acetate was lower slightly than those of starch and glucose. The sludge also had a nearly consistent flocs size and the sludge volume index (SVI) value. ESS content of the sludge fed with sodium acetate was higher initially, although it was similar to those fed with glucose and starch finally. However, the specific resistance to filtration and normalized capillary suction time fluctuated first, but finally were stable at around 5.0 × 10⁸ m kg⁻¹ and 3.5 s L g⁻¹ SS, respectively. Only the protein content in LB-EPS weakly correlated with the flocs size and SVI of the activated sludge. But there was no correlation between any other EPS contents or components and the physicochemical properties of the activated sludge.     

Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation on the activated sludge biomass in a kraft mill biotreatment system.

Unlike wastewater, pulp and paper mill effluents are generally severely deficient in bioavailable nitrogen and phosphorus. The influence of nitrogen and phosphorus limitations on steady-state or typical pulp and paper mill activated sludge floc properties and performance was studied using a bioreactor-fed synthetic raw mill effluent and seeded with mill activated sludge. Limitation of either nitrogen or phosphorus decreased growth, five-day biochemical oxygen demand, and suspended solids removal. Nitrogen limitation greatly enhanced activated sludge floc poly-beta3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), but not carbohydrate or extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). In contrast, phosphorus limitation increased total floc carbohydrate and EPS, but not PHB. The flocs showed little ability to store either nitrogen or phosphorus. Nitrogen limitation, but not phosphorus limitation, produced much more negative net floc surface charge, increasing fines, while phosphorus limitation, but not nitrogen limitation, increased the floc bound water content and surface hydrophobicity and decreased fines.     

磺胺和四环素类抗生素对活性污泥性能的影响简

废水处理工艺中抗生素类污染物的存在可能会对生物处理过程产生长期而深远的影响,为探明此类污染物对废水生物处理主体活性污泥性能等方面的影响,采用间歇培养法研究了活性污泥法处理污水时,抗生素类污染物的存在对活性污泥性能如胞外聚合物（EPS）、污染物处理能力、脱氢酶活性和群落结构的影响。结果表明,抗生素的存在会导致活性污泥的胞外聚合物总量及其主要组分蛋白质和多糖增加,以产生保护屏障;且由于污泥絮体解体,细胞破裂导致EPS中DNA和色氨酸含量增加。同时,由于蛋白质大量增加引起的表面负电荷的增加,使污泥疏水性增强,絮凝性能恶化;污泥絮体解体导致污泥颗粒变小,SVI也随之下降;在活性污泥脱氢酶活性急剧下降的同时,出水TOC迅速升高。此外,抗生素类污染物在抑制活性污泥中大部分细菌的同时,对部分菌群也有刺激生长作用,最终导致活性污泥生物群落结构的改变。四环素类抗生素对活性污泥的EPS和絮凝沉降性能的影响大于磺胺类,而对污水处理能力和群落结构的影响则不如磺胺类。抗生素类污染物的长期存在会对活性污泥沉降性能、絮凝性能、脱氢酶活性以及活性污泥群落结构等产生一系列负面影响,进而影响污染物去除效果,导致出水水质恶化。     

颗粒污泥与絮状污泥处理垃圾渗滤液的耐盐性能比较

通过批次实验系统研究了好氧颗粒污泥和絮状污泥处理垃圾渗滤液时的耐盐性能。实验结果表明,进水含盐量小于10 000 mg/L时,实验所用好氧颗粒污泥和絮状污泥的有机物去除能力、沉降性能、污泥活性基本上不受进水含盐量变化的影响。当进水含盐量大于10 000 mg/L时,随着进水含盐量的增大,絮状污泥的污泥沉降指数(SVI)快速减小,污泥活性及去除有机物的能力下降;相比而言,好氧颗粒污泥沉降性能更为稳定,SVI基本维持在30 mL/g左右,污泥活性及去除有机物的能力缓慢下降。当进水含盐量重新降低时,好氧颗粒污泥沉降性能变化不大,污泥活性及去除有机物的能力恢复迅速;而絮状污泥沉降性能变差,污泥活性及去除有机物的能力仍受较大抑制。     

Determination of growth rate and yield of nitrifying bacteria by measuring carbon dioxide uptake rate.

Nitrifier growth parameters--the maximum growth rate (microAmax) and yield (YA)--were estimated by measuring the rate of carbon dioxide uptake and additional rates of oxygen uptake and ammonia (or nitrite) use. Batch tests in a combined titrimetric and offgas analyzer with enriched Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas cultures and an activated sludge sample were performed. The measured microAmax values for the Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas cultures were 0.67 +/- 0.03 day(-1) and 0.54 +/- 0.09 day(-1), while the YA values were 0.072 +/- 0.01 g volatile suspended solids (VSS) x g nitrogen (N)(-1) and 0.14 +/- 0.02 gVSS x gN(-1), respectively. For the activated sludge sample, microAmax was observed to increase with pH (microAmax = 0.72 x 3.3(pH-7.1)) over the range 6.8 to 7.1. All microAmax and YA values determined by this method were similar to those previously reported. Compared with other microAmax and YA estimation methods, this method allows for unique microAmax and YA estimations for given conditions from a single experiment.     

Resource recycling through artificial lightweight aggregates from sewage sludge and derived ash using boric acid flux to lower co-melting temperature

This study focuses on artificial lightweight aggregates (ALWAs) formed from sewage sludge and ash at lowered co-melting temperatures using boric acid as the fluxing agent. The weight percentages of boric acid in the conditioned mixtures of sludge and ash were 13% and 22%, respectively. The ALWA derived from sewage sludge was synthesized under the following conditions: preheating at 400 °C 0.5 hr and a sintering temperature of 850 °C 1 hr. The analytical results of water adsorption, bulk density, apparent porosity, and compressive strength were 3.88%, 1.05 g/cm³, 3.93%, and 29.7 MPa, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the ALWA show that the trends in water adsorption and apparent porosity were opposite to those of bulk density. This was due to the inner pores being sealed off by lower-melting-point material at the aggregates' surface. In the case of ash-derived aggregates, water adsorption, bulk density, apparent porosity, and compressive strength were 0.82%, 0.91 g/cm³, 0.82%, and 28.0 MPa, respectively. Both the sludge- and ash-derived aggregates meet the legal standards for ignition loss and soundness in Taiwan for construction or heat insulation materials.

Implications Artificial lightweight aggregates (ALWAs) could be synthesized from sewage sludge and derived ash. In this study, co-melting technology of low temperature was applied with boric acid as a fluxing agent and the formation temperature of glass phase was decreased to 900 °C. Both aggregates derived from sludge and ash meet regulatory standards of ignition loss and soundness in Taiwan for construction or heat insulation material.     

Impact of sewage sludge spreading on nickel mobility in a calcareous soil: adsorption–desorption through column experiments

A soil column adsorption–desorption study was performed on an agricultural calcareous soil to determine the impact of sewage sludge spreading on nickel mobility. Ni adsorption experiments were followed by desorption tests involving the following liquid extractants: water, calcium (100 mg/L), oxalic acid (525 mg/L equivalent to 100 mg carbon/L), and sludge extracts (0.5 and 2.5 g/L). Desorption tests were also conducted after sewage sludge spreading at three application rates (30, 75, and 150 t/ha). According to the breakthrough curve, Ni adsorption was irreversible and occurred mainly through interactions with calcite surface sites. Nickel desorption from the soil column was promoted in presence of significant dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration as observed with oxalic acid elution and sludge extract at 2.5 g/L. In sludge-amended soil columns, the maximum Ni levels occurred in first pore volumes, and they were positively correlated to the sludge application rate. The presence of DOC in leaching waters was the main factor controlling Ni desorption from the sludge-amended soil columns. This finding implies that DOC generated by sludge applied on calcareous soils might facilitate the leaching of Ni due to the formation of soluble Ni–organic complexes. Thus, sludge application can have potential environmental impacts in calcareous soils, since it promotes nickel transport by decreasing Ni retention by soil components.     

Arsenic, chromium and mercury removal using mussel shell ash or a sludge/ashes waste mixture

Different batches of valued mussel shell and waste mussel shell ash are characterised. Shell ash has pH?>?12 and high electrical conductivities (between 16.01 and 27.27 dS?m^?1), while calcined shell shows pH values up to 10.7 and electrical conductivities between 1.19 and 3.55 dS?m^?1. X-ray fluorescence, nitric acid digestion and water extractions show higher concentrations in shell ash for most parameters. Calcite is the dominant crystalline compound in this ash (95.6 %), followed by aragonite. Adsorption/desorption trials were performed for mussel shell ash and for a waste mixture including shell ash, sewage sludge and wood ash, showing the following percentage adsorptions: Hg(II) >94 %, As(V) >96 % and Cr(VI) between 11 and 30 % for shell ash; Hg(II) >98 %, As(V) >88 % and Cr(VI) between 30 and 88 % for the waste mixture. Hg and As desorption was <5 % for both shell ash and the waste mixture, while Cr desorption was between 92 and 45 % for shell ash, and between 19 and 0 % for the mixture. In view of that, mussel shell ash and the mixture including shell ash, sewage sludge and wood ash could be useful for Hg(II) and As(V) removal.     

Influence of microbial biomass on the biodegradability of organic compounds

The influence of different types of inocula as well as the amount of inoculum (microbial biomass) on the biodegradation pattern of acetate, 4-nitrophenol, and the three methoxyaniline isomers was investigated in the Modified OECD test and a NPR guidline. Using sediment of the river Rhine as inoculum 4-nitrophenol could not be degraded, while an inoculum from garden soil gave only 60% degradation in the OECD test. Effluent of an activated sludge plant however was able to degrade 4-nitrophenol at a concentration of 19 mg/1 in the OECD test completely. At a concentration of 94 mg/1 no degradation was observed. Testing the methoxyanilines for biodegradability it was found that at a low inoculum level (OECD protocol) no degradation of the three compounds occurred. Using activated sludge (1.5 ml/1) as inoculum 3- and 4-methoxy aniline could be degraded for 60% respectively completely while 2-methoxyaniline was still refactory to degradation. Measuring the microbial biomass by means of ATP during biodegradation strongly suggested that the microbial flora which rapidly metabolize acetate is quite another microflora than the microflora responsible for the degradation of 4-nitrophenol.