Optimization of sampling strategy to determine pathogen removal efficacy of activated sludge treatment plant

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Large-scale wastewater schemes rely on multi-barrier approach for the production of safe and sustainable recycled water. In multi-barrier wastewater...     

The fate of linear alcohol ethoxylates during activated sludge sewage treatment

Model continuous activated sludge (CAS) plants (Husmann units) were used to study the fate of two commercial, alcohol ethoxylate (AE) surfactants during aerobic sewage treatment. The surfactants were produced by the ethoxylation of an essentially linear C(12-15) alcohol (NEODOL 25) with an average of 7 (C(12-15)EO7) or 3 (C(12-15)EO3) moles of ethylene oxide (EO). Recent analytical developments made it possible to measure levels of AE that included the free alcohol and EO1 oligomers across the CAS system, from the influent feed, on the activated sludge, through to the effluent. Measured concentrations of AE (as C(12-15)EO(0-20)) in the synthetic sewage feeds to the test CAS plants lay in the range 11-13 mg/l. During stable operation at 20 degrees C, an average of 5 microg/l AE were present in the C(12-15)EO7 CAS plant effluent, giving a removal (bioelimination) of >99.9%. When levels of AE on the sludge, and polyethylene glycols (PEGs--an expected biodegradation intermediate) in the effluent and on the sludge were also taken into account, biodegradation was considered to be responsible for >98.7% of the observed removal. During operation at a winter temperature (10 degrees C), an average of 26 microg/l AE were present in the C(12-15)EO7 CAS plant effluent, giving a removal of 99.8%. Biodegradation was estimated to be responsible for >97.2% of the observed removal. During operation at 20 degrees C, an average of 7 microg/l AE were present in the C(12-15)EO3 CAS plant effluent, giving a removal of >99.9%. No analysis for PEG was performed in this case but the low level of AE on the sludge (0.2 mg/g dry solids) suggested that biodegradation was responsible for most of the observed removal. Neither surfactant had any adverse effect on the sewage treatment efficiencies of the CAS plants in terms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal, nitrification or biomass levels.     

Assessment of fates of estrogens in wastewater and sludge from various types of wastewater treatment plants

We measured five estrogens in the wastewater samples from the municipal wastewater treatment plants (M-WWTPs), livestock wastewater treatment plants (L-WWTPs), hospital WWTPs (H-WWTPs) and pharmaceutical manufacture WWTPs (P-WWTPs) in Korea. The L-WWTPs showed the highest total concentration (0.195-10.4 μg L⁻¹) of estrogens in the influents, followed by the M-WWTPs (0.028-1.15 μg L⁻¹), H-WWTPs (0.068-0.130 μg L⁻¹) and P-WWTPs (0.015-0.070 μg L⁻¹). Like the influents, the L-WWTPs (0.003-0.729 μg L⁻¹) and the M-WWTPs (0.001-0.299 μg L⁻¹) also showed higher total concentration of estrogens in the effluents than the H-WWTPs (0.002-0.021 μg L⁻¹) and P-WWTPs (0.011 μg L⁻¹ in one sample). The L-WWTPs (37.5-543 μg kg⁻¹, dry weight) showed higher total concentrations in sludge than the M-WWTPs (3.16-444 μg kg⁻¹, dry weight) like the wastewater. The distribution of estrogens in the WWTPs may be affected by their metabolism in the human body, their transition through biological treatment processes, and their usage for livestock growth. Unlike the concentration results, the daily loads of estrogens from the M-WWTPs were the highest, which is related to the high capacities of WWTPs.     

Occurrence,sorption, and transformation of free and conjugated natural steroid estrogens in the environment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Natural steroid estrogens (NSEs), including free estrogens (FEs) and conjugated estrogens (CEs), are of emerging concern globally among public and...     

DS-EBPR颗粒污泥和絮状污泥除磷效能

为提高反应器的稳定性,同时对硫循环协同反硝化生物除磷（DS-EBPR）颗粒污泥和絮体污泥的脱氮除磷效果以及物质转化规律进行对比研究,实验采用序批式活性污泥反应器（SBR）分别培养DS-EBPR絮体污泥和颗粒污泥。结果表明：GSBR（颗粒污泥SBR）乙酸根平均去除率和磷平均去除率均高于FSBR（絮体污泥SBR）;且GSBR中PHA（聚羟基脂肪酸）的作用机制相比于FSBR明显优于glycogen（糖原）,表明GSBR具有更好的功能微生物富集作用;反应器运行过程中poly-S（聚硫颗粒）储存形式的转变表明DS-EBPR系统中poly-S的转化形式并不是根据反应阶段固定的,而是根据系统能量供需状态变化的,且对比硫循环转化效果显示GSBR的能量利用效率高于FSBR。     

Maximum nitrogen removal in the step-feed activated sludge process.

This paper presents a mathematical framework that can be used to determine the flow distributions for a step-feed activated sludge process that result in maximum nitrogen removal. The model indicates that nitrogen removal efficiency in a step-feed activated sludge process is highly dependent on the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(L))-to-total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) ratio of the wastewater. For typical domestic wastewater, which has a relatively high BOD(L)-to-TKN ratio, the step-feed process will outperform the Modified Ludzack-Ettinger process for nitrogen removal, when the flow to each step is optimally distributed. Using plant-specific water quality data and operating conditions from a 1-year period, nitrogen removal performance for four step-feed activated sludge plants operated by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (California) was calculated using the developed model. The calculated nitrogen removal efficiencies match well with the actual plant performance data. These results validate the model as a useful tool for predicting nitrogen removal in a step-feed activated sludge process. Other analyses revealed that improvements in nitrogen removal at existing facilities are achievable by adjusting the split of primary effluent flow to each anoxic zone several times during the day. The timing of the adjustments and the optimal flow splits can be determined from data on diurnal fluctuations in BOD(L) and TKN concentrations. An example is provided to illustrate the application of such an operating strategy and the potential enhancement of nitrogen removal.     

Metal ion removal from water by sorption on paper mill sludge

Chromatographic columns packed with paper mill sludge are employed for metal ion recovery from water. The breakthrough curves show that cadmium, copper, lead and silver are removed from acid solutions (pH 2, 4); the affinity series is Pb(II)>Cu(II)>Ag(I)>Cd(II). Both the amount of metal retained and the metal-matrix interaction are pH dependent; the sorptive capacity increases with increasing pH. When the metals are present together at the same initial concentrations a competition among the different ions occurs although the affinity order remains unchanged. In metal recovery from the paper mill sludge column, the total amount of the cadmium and copper is displaced by HCl 1.0 M, 65% of the lead by HCl 0.1 M and 75% of the silver by HNO(3) 0.1 M. More than 95% of copper and lead and less than 20% of cadmium were recovered with HCl 0.1 M when the metals were present at the same time.     

蒽醌废水生化处理的活性污泥驯化

通过比较不同的污泥驯化方法研究了活性污泥法处理蒽醌废水的可行性.结果表明,常规的CODCr负荷提升法需要50 d才可以驯化出活性污泥.在进水中添加1 g/L葡萄糖可以快速提高污泥浓度,但是驯化出的污泥活性很低,不能满足废水的处理要求.最好的方法是添加1 g/L葡萄糖和原废水交叉循环驯化法,第28天就可以驯化出高活性的污泥.在平均进水CODCr为1 050 mg/L、HRT为24 h的条件下,CODCr去除率达到95.6%.     

The occurrence and removal of selected pharmaceutical compounds in a sewage treatment works utilising activated sludge treatment

Pharmaceutical substances have been detected in sewage effluents as well as receiving waters in many parts of the world. In this study, the occurrence and removal of a number of drug compounds were studied within a large sewage treatment plant in the south of England. Samples were processed using solid phase extraction and analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results demonstrate that ibuprofen, paracetamol, salbutamol and mefenamic acid were present in both the influent and effluent of the works while propranolol-HCl was not found above the limit of quantification in any sample. Elimination rates were circa 90% for each compound but several hundred nanograms per litre were still present in the final effluent.     

Degradations of urobilin and stercobilin during activated sludge treatment of night soil

This paper deals with the degradation of urobilin and stercobilin in the sewage treatment plant or domestic septic tank and elucidates the factors contributing to their decomposition. The quantities of urobolin or stercobilin in the effluents from the sewage treatment plants were low and these substances were degraded by treatment with activated sludge. The efficacies of aeration, bacterial decomposition and free chlorine treatment in degrading urobilin or stercobilin were examined. Urobilin and stercobilin were decomposed by aeration and the decomposition rate was accelerated under alkaline conditions. Both compounds were decomposed by activated sludge, isolated bacteria and free chlorine treatments. These results show the decomposition of urobilin and stercobilin at sewage treatment plants.     

酸处理对活性污泥脱水性能的影响及其作用机理

用硫酸对活性污泥进行脱水前预处理,可使污泥中水分分布发生有利于机械脱水的变化,即结合水含量减少、可脱水程度增大,从而改善活性污泥脱水效果.试验数据表明,只加阳离子PAM调理,污泥经过板框压滤脱水后(压榨时间30 min)泥饼含水率为76.14%;经过酸化预处理后再加阳离子PAM可以使泥饼含水率降至70.24%.不管是过滤脱水还是离心脱水过程,酸处理对污泥脱水速率没有太大影响,却可以提高污泥可脱水程度.进一步研究发现,酸处理的机理是:酸处理使污泥中胞外聚合物ECP水解、微生物细胞瓦解,从而絮体内部间隙水、细胞内部间隙水被释放变成自由水,污泥水分分布发生变化,污泥可脱水程度提高,最终导致污泥脱水效果好.     

活性污泥胞外聚合物在污水处理过程中的荧光特性

采用三维荧光光谱法对活性污泥的微生物代谢过程进行了分析。通过分析活性污泥进入内源呼吸过程的EPS中荧光性物质的变化规律,发现疏松结合的胞外聚合物(LB-EPS)荧光光谱的微生物代谢产物峰在内源呼吸前期就开始下降,下降比例为11%,而LB-EPS荧光光谱图中的类蛋白荧光峰和紧密结合的胞外物质(TB-EPS)荧光光谱图的类溶解性微生物代谢产物荧光峰在内源呼吸的后期下降,下降比例分别为18%和14%,在前期分别升高了34%和372%。另外,提出了通过疏松的胞外聚合物(LB-EPS)荧光偏移量来分析污水处理过程特性,得出荧光峰位置的偏移量与污水厂的出水COD、氨氮和污泥内源呼吸比具有很好的相关性,相关系数分别为0.943、0.825和0.941。     

活性污泥法污水处理过程自动控制的研究现状

活性污泥法污水处理是利用自然界中微生物的生命活动来清除污水中有机污染物的一种有效方法 ,是当前世界上处理工业有机污水和城市生活污水的主要途径。本文综述了污水处理过程中自动控制所面临的困难、研究现状以及发展方向 ,分析了目前国内外污水处理过程自动化水平落后而仍采用人工控制的原因 ,阐述了污水处理过程的传统控制策略和智能控制策略 ,并指出智能控制作为污水生化处理过程控制的未来发展方向 ,可以大大提高系统的可靠性和稳定性、降低运行成本     

Immobilized cell augmented activated sludge process for enhanced nitrogen removal from wastewater.

The immobilized cell augmented activated sludge (ICAAS) system combines a cell immobilization technique and an offline enricher-reactor for the bioaugmentation of the activated sludge system to improve treatment performances. In this study, enhanced nitrogen removal using ICAAS was investigated. Laboratory-scale, offline, batch enricher-reactors were used to maintain nitrification and denitrification activities of coimmobilized nitrifiers and denitrifiers used to augment a laboratory-scale completely mixed activated sludge system (CMAS) treating synthetic wastewater. Cellulose triacetate was the media used to entrap nitrifiers and denitrifiers at a 2:1 mass ratio. The ICAAS augmented with the coimmobilized cells between 5 and 20% by volume gained 24 +/- 5% higher nitrogen removal than a control CMAS, which provided nitrogen removal of 28 +/- 7%. The ICAAS scheme is a viable alternative for upgrading existing activated sludge systems to gain better nitrogen removal. .     

剩余污泥水解酸化液磷去除的影响因素研究

城市污水厂剩余污泥水解酸化后可产生高浓度挥发性有机酸(VFAs),其中的乙酸和丙酸是增强生物除磷(EBPR)工艺的有利基质.但水解酸化液中含有大量的磷,如不进行处理就作为碳源回用到污水处理工艺中,势必增加除磷负荷.利用鸟粪石沉淀法可以去除污水中的磷.对城市污水厂剩余污泥水解酸化液形成鸟粪石的影响因素进行了试验研究.结果表明,在最佳工艺条件下,正磷和总磷的去除率分别可达92.5%和83.8%.     

污水处理工程--两段式活性污泥工艺

我国中小城市的污水处理通常有如下特点(1 )工业废水所占比重较大,甚至超过50 %,致使要处理的城市污水的污染物浓度较高,污染物负荷变化较大 ;(2)城市财政状况比较紧张,可用于建设污水处理厂的资金有限.两段式活性污泥工艺是对传统活性污泥工艺的改进,在好氧处理之前采用一个缺氧或厌氧段,用于有机物的水解酸化或生物除磷.两段式工艺有以下优点处理效率高、工程投资和日常运行费用低,更适合我国国情.本文以两个工程项目为例,论述了两段式活性污泥工艺的工程设计与实际应用.山东省招远市污水处理厂于1999年7月投入运行,处理后排放水中的污染物指标低于设计值.蓬莱市污水处理厂工程即将竣工,设计处理能力20000m3 /d,工程总投资约1200万元,远远低于目前国内的平均水平.