Reaction mechanism of arsenic capture by a calcium-based sorbent during the combustion of arsenic-contaminated biomass: A pilot-scale experience

Pilot-scale combustion is required to treat arsenic-enriched biomass in China. CaO addition to arsenic-enriched biomass reduces arsenic emission. CaO captures arsenic via chemical adsorption to form Ca₃(AsO₄)₂. Large quantities of contaminated biomass due to phytoremediation were disposed through combustion in low-income rural regions of China. This process provided a solution to reduce waste volume and disposal cost. Pilot-scale combustion trials were conducted for in site disposal at phytoremediation sites. The reaction mechanism of arsenic capture during pilot-scale combustion should be determined to control the arsenic emission in flue gas. This study investigated three Pteris vittata L. biomass with a disposal capacity of 600 kg/d and different arsenic concentrations from three sites in China. The arsenic concentration in flue gas was greater than that of the national standard in the trial with no emission control, and the arsenic concentration in biomass was 486 mg/kg. CaO addition notably reduced arsenic emission in flue gas, and absorption was efficient when CaO was mixed with biomass at 10% of the total weight. For the trial with 10% CaO addition, arsenic recovery from ash reached 76%, which is an ~8-fold increase compared with the control. Synchrotron radiation analysis confirmed that calcium arsenate is the dominant reaction product.     

纤毛状生物膜脱氮除磷工艺调试研究

纤毛状生物膜脱氮除磷工艺(CNR)是一种高效的生物脱氮除磷工艺.好氧池中纤毛状生物膜填料的添加,固化了大量世代时间长的硝化菌,提高了硝化反应速度,而且成功地解决了好氧段硝化菌与聚磷菌的泥龄矛盾.通过对天津某污水处理厂进行CNR工艺中试,得出结论如下:填料比表面积大,微生物附着量高达1 350～1 500g·m~(-2);填料容易挂膜、脱膜,无堵塞现象,更不需要反冲洗,维护管理简单;填料上形成的生物膜中,微生物体系稳定,种群丰富,微生物相包括钟虫(vorticella)、轮虫(rotaria)、表壳虫(arcella)、吸管虫(tokophrya)等;采用CNR工艺对污水处理,常规项目的去除率均达到80%以上,出水水质除总氮达到一级B标准,其他均达到<城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准>(GB 18918-2002)的一级A排放标准.     

Denitrification and biofilm growth in a pilot-scale biofilter packed with suspended carriers for biological nitrogen removal from secondary effluent

Tertiary denitrification is an effective method for nitrogen removal from wastewater. A pilot-scale biofilter packed with suspended carriers was operated for tertiary denitrification with ethanol as the organic carbon source. Long-term performance, biokinetics of denitrification and biofilm growth were evaluated under filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr. The pilot-scale biofilter removed nitrate from the secondary effluent effectively, and the nitrate nitrogen(NO_3-N) removal percentage was 82%, 78% and 55% at the filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr, respectively. At the filtration velocities of 6 and 10 m/hr, the nitrate removal loading rate increased with increasing influent nitrate loading rates, while at the filtration velocity of 14 m/hr, the removal loading rate and the influent loading rate were uncorrelated.During denitrification, the ratio of consumed chemical oxygen demand to removed NO_3-N was 3.99–4.52 mg/mg. Under the filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr, the maximum denitrification rate was 3.12, 4.86 and 4.42 g N/(m~2·day), the half-saturation constant was 2.61, 1.05 and 1.17 mg/L, and the half-order coefficient was 0.22, 0.32 and 0.24(mg/L)1/2/min,respectively. The biofilm biomass increased with increasing filtration velocity and was 2845,5124 and 7324 mg VSS/m~2 at filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr, respectively. The highest biofilm density was 44 mg/cm~3 at the filtration velocity of 14 m/hr. Due to the low influent loading rate, biofilm biomass and thickness were lowest at the filtration velocity of 6 m/hr.     

Denitrification and biofilm growth in a pilot-scale biofilter packed with suspended carriers for biological nitrogen removal from secondary effluent

Tertiary denitrification is an effective method for nitrogen removal from wastewater. A pilot-scale biofilter packed with suspended carriers was operated for tertiary denitrification with ethanol as the organic carbon source. Long-term performance, biokinetics of denitrification and biofilm growth were evaluated under filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr. The pilot-scale biofilter removed nitrate from the secondary effluent effectively, and the nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N) removal percentage was 82%, 78% and 55% at the filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr, respectively. At the filtration velocities of 6 and 10 m/hr, the nitrate removal loading rate increased with increasing influent nitrate loading rates, while at the filtration velocity of 14 m/hr, the removal loading rate and the influent loading rate were uncorrelated. During denitrification, the ratio of consumed chemical oxygen demand to removed NO₃-N was 3.99–4.52 mg/mg. Under the filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr, the maximum denitrification rate was 3.12, 4.86 and 4.42 g N/(m²·day), the half-saturation constant was 2.61, 1.05 and 1.17 mg/L, and the half-order coefficient was 0.22, 0.32 and 0.24 (mg/L)^1/2/min, respectively. The biofilm biomass increased with increasing filtration velocity and was 2845, 5124 and 7324 mg VSS/m² at filtration velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m/hr, respectively. The highest biofilm density was 44 mg/cm³ at the filtration velocity of 14 m/hr. Due to the low influent loading rate, biofilm biomass and thickness were lowest at the filtration velocity of 6 m/hr.     

Comparisons of the film peeling from the composite oxides of quartz sand filters using ozone, hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide

To solve the problem of shortened backwashing intervals in groundwater plants, several disinfectants including ozone (O₃), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) were examined to peel off the film from the quartz sand surface in four pilot-scale columns. An optimized oxidant dosage and oxidation time were determined by batch tests. Subsequently, the optimized conditions were tested in the four pilot-scale columns. The results demonstrated that the backwashing intervals increased from 35.17 to 54.33 (H₂O₂) and to 53.67 hr (ClO₂) after the oxidation treatments, and the increase of backwashing interval after treatment by O₃ was much less than for the other two treatments. Interestingly, the treatment efficiency of filters was not affected by O₃ or H₂O₂ oxidation; but after oxidation by ClO₂, the treatment efficiency was deteriorated, especially the ammonia removal (from 96.96% to 24.95%). The filter sands before and after the oxidation were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Compared with the oxidation by O₃ and H₂O₂, the structures on the surface of filter sands were seriously damaged after oxidation by ClO₂. The chemical states of manganese on the surfaces of those treated sands were only changed by ClO₂. The damage of the structures and the change of the chemical states of manganese might have a negative effect on the ammonia removal. In summary, H₂O₂ is a suitable agent for film peeling.