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.     

Effect of arsenic on tolerance mechanisms of two plant growth-promoting bacteria used as biological inoculants

Bacterial ability to colonize the rhizosphere of plants in arsenic (As) contaminated soils is highly important for symbiotic and free-living plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) used as inoculants, since they can contribute to enhance plant As tolerance and limit metalloid uptake by plants. The aim of this work was to study the effect of As on growth, exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, biofilm formation and motility of two strains used as soybean inoculants, Bradyrhizobium japonicum E109 and Azospirillum brasilense Az39. The metabolism of arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) and their removal and/or possible accumulation were also evaluated. The behavior of both bacteria under As treatment was compared and discussed in relation to their potential for colonizing plant rhizosphere with high content of the metalloid. B. japonicum E109 growth was reduced with As(III) concentration from 10 μM while A. brasilense Az39 showed a reduction of growth with As(III) from 500 μM. EPS and biofilm production increased significantly under 25 μM As(III) for both strains. Moreover, this was more notorious for Azospirillum under 500 μM As(III), where motility was seriously affected. Both bacterial strains showed a similar ability to reduce As(V). However, Azospirillum was able to oxidize more As(III) (around 53%) than Bradyrhizobium (17%). In addition, both strains accumulated As in cell biomass. The behavior of Azospirillum under As treatments suggests that this strain would be able to colonize efficiently As contaminated soils. In this way, inoculation with A. brasilense Az39 would positively contribute to promoting growth of different plant species under As treatment.     

生物膜反应器连续处理餐饮废水

用生物膜反应器连续处理餐水能有效降低废水中的ＢＯＤ及ＣＯＤ浓度。研究了水力停留时间对有机物去除率的影响,结果表明当水力停留时间大于７．８ｈ时,废水的ＣＯＤ,ＢＯＤ及ＴＳＳ的去除率均高于９０％。实验操作时,水力停留时间应略大于５．７ｈ。     

生物膜水解-好氧循环系统处理活性艳蓝RB-19的微生物群落动态变化

为了研究生物膜水解-好氧循环系统处理蒽醌类染料活性艳蓝RB-19效果及其中微生物群落动态变化,利用基于16S rDNA的PCR-DGGE技术获得了微生物群落的DNA特征指纹图谱。结果表明,该系统能有效地降解活性艳蓝RB-19模拟废水,在RB-19浓度≤400 mg/L时,RB-19去除率维持在82%～96%之间,COD去除率维持在95%左右,但当RB-19浓度提高到500 mg/L时,RB-19去除率降低到58%,COD去除率降低到85%。DGGE分析表明,生物膜上的微生物群落结构随着RB-19浓度递增有显著变化,好氧、水解反应器内的细菌Shannon指数分别从1.32和1.20降低到1.11和1.19。UPGMA聚类分析和NMDS散点分析表明,水解、好氧反应器内的微生物并没有因为同处一个系统内而使得其菌群落结构产生明显的趋同倾向。系统内的多种优势菌群为兼性细菌,克隆测序的结果发现,在水解反应器存在一类具有很强还原能力的古细菌——Methanobacterium sp.MB4。     

A mathematical model for a hybrid anaerobic reactor

A mathematical model for a hybrid anaerobic reactor (HAR), which uses self-immobilized anaerobic bacterial granules under completely fluidized condition, has been developed. Stoichiometry of glucose fermentation into methane has been considered in this model. The model includes: (1) a biofilm model which describes substrate conversion kinetics within a single granule; (2) a bed fluidization model which describes the distribution of biogranules within the fluidized bed and (3) a reactor model which links the above two to predict the substrate and products concentration profile along the reactor height. Product and pH inhibition for each group of bacteria has been considered in the kinetic model. The spatial distribution of each group of anaerobic bacteria within granules has been found to play a vital role in bringing about the conversion. Experiments were conducted in the reactor using a synthetic effluent containing glucose as the carbon source to study the treatment efficiency. The model was simulated first assuming a 3-layered distribution [MacLeod, F.A., Guiot, S.R., Costerton, J.W., 1990. Layered structure of bacterial aggregates produced in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed and filter reactor. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 56, 1598-1607.] of anaerobic bacteria within granules and then homogeneous distribution [Grotenhuis, J.T.C., Smit, M., Plugge, C.M., Yuansheng, X., van Lammeren, A.A.M., Stams, A.J.M., Zehnder, A.J.B., 1991. Bacterial composition and structure of granular sludge adapted to different substrates. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 57, 1942-1949.] of anaerobic bacteria. The predictions of model simulation with the assumption of layered structure closely represented the experimental data.     

生物膜法处理聚醚废水可行性研究

主要从小试装置的启动运行，处理负荷的提高以及相关的问题进行试验探讨     

容积负荷对生物膜反应器氨氮去除的影响

利用蜂窝陶瓷为生物膜载体组建的生物膜反应器处理受污染原水试验运行过程中,考察氨氮容积负荷、有机物容积负荷及总磷容积负荷对反应器氨氮去除率和去除速率的影响。研究表明在温度为13~29.6℃,ρ(DO)为4 mg/L,水力负荷分别为2.39,3.49,6.90,8.38,11.33,13.66 m3/(m2·d)的情况下,随着氨氮容积负荷的逐渐增大,氨氮的去除率逐渐降低,而氨氮的去除速率逐步增大。氨氮容积负荷与氨氮去除率和容积负荷与去除速率关系都可用直线方程表示。为维持反应器稳定的处理效果,水力负荷最好不要超过11.33 m3/(m2·d),氨氮容积负荷不超过1.45 kg/(m3·d)。随着有机物容积负荷的逐渐增大,氨氮去除速率逐渐增大,但增速逐渐减缓,而氨氮去除率逐渐降低。随着总磷容积负荷的增大,氨氮去除速率增加并呈线性相关,氨氮去除率随之减少。     

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.     

Determination of the cellulase activity distribution in Clostridium thermocellum and Caldicellulosiruptor obsidiansis cultures using a fluorescent substrate

This study took advantage of resorufin cellobioside as a fluorescent substrate to determine the distribution of cellulase activity in cellulosic biomass fermentation systems. Cellulolytic biofilms were found to express nearly four orders greater cellulase activity compared to planktonic cultures of Clostridium thermocellum and Caldicellulosiruptor obsidiansis, which can be primarily attributed to the high cell concentration and surface attachment. The formation of biofilms results in cellulases being secreted close to their substrates, which appears to be an energetically favorable stategy for insoluble substrate utilization. For the same reason, cellulases should be closely associated with the surfaces of suspended cell in soluble substrate-fed culture, which has been verified with cellobiose-fed cultures of C. thermocellum and C. obsidiansis. This study addressed the importance of cellulase activity distribution in cellulosic biomass fermentation, and provided theoretical foundation for the leading role of biofilm in cellulose degradation. System optimization and reactor designs that promote biofilm formation in cellulosic biomass hydrolysis may promise an improved cellulosic biofuel process.     

Characterization of the archaeal community fouling a membrane bioreactor

Biofilmformation, one of the primary causes of biofouling, results in reducedmembrane flux or increased transmembrane pressure and thus represents a major impediment to the wider implementation of membrane bioreactor (MBR) technologies for water purification. Most studies have focused on the role of bacteria in membrane fouling as they are the most dominant and best studied organisms present in the MBR. In contrast, there is limited information on the role of the archaeal community in biofilm formation in MBRs. This study investigated the composition of the archaeal community during the process of biofouling in an MBR. The archaeal community was observed to have lower richness and diversity in the biofilmthan the sludge during the establishment of biofilms at low transmembrane pressure (TMP). Clustering of the communities based on the Bray-Curtis similarity matrix indicated that a subset of the sludge archaeal community formed the initial biofilms. The archaeal community in the biofilm was mainly composed of Thermoprotei, Thermoplasmata, Thermococci, Methanopyri, Methanomicrobia and Halobacteria. Among them, the Thermoprotei and Thermoplasmata were present at higher relative proportions in the biofilms than they were in the sludge. Additionally, the Thermoprotei, Thermoplasmata and Thermococci were the dominant organisms detected in the initial biofilms at low TMP, while as the TMP increased, the Methanopyri, Methanomicrobia, Aciduliprofundum and Halobacteria were present at higher abundances in the biofilms at high TMP.