Alejandro H. Caravelli

Phosphorous removal in batch systems using ferric chloride in the presence of activated sludges

The objectives of this work were: (a) to analyze the effect of alkalinity, pH and initial Fe:P molar ratio (Fe(0):P(0)) on the precipitation of orthophosphate using ferric chloride in the presence of activated sludge in order to represent conditions of simultaneous precipitation, and in exhausted wastewater to simulate conditions of post-precipitation, (b) to compare the experimental results with predictions obtained from a chemical equilibrium model, and (c) to propose a mechanistic model to determine the dose of coagulant required to achieve a given orthophosphate removal degree at constant pH. Results showed that the presence of biomass did not affect the orthophosphate precipitation; however, addition of ferric chloride caused a drop of pH to values not compatible with the normal activity of activated sludges. For this reason, the wastewater was supplemented with NaHCO(3); when 1gL(-1) NaHCO(3) was added, orthophosphate removals higher than 97% and pH above 6.2 were obtained using Fe(0):P(0)=1.9. Precipitation assays at constant pH showed that Fe(III) hydrolysis and FePO(4) precipitation reaction compete with each other. Calculations using a chemical equilibrium model (CHEAQS) predicted that ferric phosphate precipitation should not take place if pH is higher than about 7.8. However, experimental results showed that ferric phosphate precipitation occurred even at pH 9. For this reason, a mechanistic model was proposed to predict orthophosphate concentrations as a function of Fe(0):P(0) at constant pH. The model can be applied to calculate the minimum Fe(III) concentration required to achieve a given discharge limit for orthophosphate as a function of its initial concentration and pH.

Modeling of chlorine effect on floc forming and filamentous micro-organisms of activated sludges

Chlorination is the most economical, non-specific method to control the excessive growth of filamentous micro-organisms causing bulking in activated sludge systems in the treatment of food industrial wastewaters; it was one of the first methods used to control filamentous bulking and is still widely employed. Considering that chlorination affects both floc-forming and filamentous micro-organisms and leaves undesirable disinfection by-products, it is necessary to define the adequate doses to control bulking, minimizing the effect on floc-forming bacteria. In the present work the effect of biomass concentration and type of micro-organism on chlorine decay kinetics was evaluated; the inactivation of either a filamentous (Sphaerotilus natans) or a floc-forming (Acinetobacter anitratus) micro-organism due to chlorination was also analyzed. For chlorine decay assays, the samples were treated in a batch system with sodium hypochlorite ranging between 9.8 and 56.6 mg Cl(2) (gVSS)(-1). Respirometric assays were used to evaluate the effect of chlorine on micro-organisms respiratory activity; in these cases, sodium hypochlorite doses ranged between 2.5 and 18 mgCl(2) (gVSS)(-1).A model that allowed to predict simultaneously chlorine consumption and respiratory activity decay for both micro-organisms as a function of time was proposed. The model includes three coupled differential equations corresponding to respiratory inhibition, readily organic matter oxidation by chlorine and chlorine decay. The rate of chlorine decay depended on both, type and concentration of the micro-organisms in the system. Chlorine consumption rate due to S. natans was 2-4 times faster than A. anitratus. Using the proposed model initial critical chlorine doses (the lowest initial dose that leads to a total inhibition of the respiratory activity) were calculated for both micro-organisms and values of 11.9 mgCl(2) (gVSS)(-1) for S. natans and 4.5 mgCl(2) (gVSS)(-1) for A. anitratus were obtained. These critical doses indicated that in non flocculated pure cultures, floc-former bacteria A. anitratus was more susceptible to chlorine action than S. natans.

Nitrification and aerobic denitrification in anoxic–aerobic sequencing batch reactor

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of achieving nitrogen (N) removal using a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) exposed to anoxic/aerobic (AN/OX) phases, focusing to achieve aerobic denitrification. This process will minimize emissions of N2O greenhouse gas. The effects of different operating parameters on the reactor performance were studied: cycle duration, AN/OX ratio, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration (DOC), and organic load. The highest inorganic N removal (NiR), close to 70%, was obtained at pH=7.5, low organic load (440mgCOD/(Lday)) and high aeration given by 12h cycle, AN/OX ratio=0.5:1.0 and DOC higher than 4.0mgO2/L. Nitrification followed by high-rate aerobic denitrification took place during the aerobic phase. Aerobic denitrification could be attributed to Tetrad-forming organisms (TFOs) with phenotype of glycogen accumulating organisms using polyhydroxyalkanoate and/or glycogen storage. The proposed AN/OX system constitutes an eco-friendly N removal process providing N2 as the end product.