Artur Mielcarek

Effect of the C:N:P ratio on the denitrifying dephosphatation in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR)

A series of investigations were conducted using sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) to explore the influence of C:N:P ratio on biological dephosphatation including the denitrifying dephosphatation and the denitrification process. Biomass in the reactor occurred mainly in the form of a biofilm attached to completely submerged disks. Acetic acid was used as the source of organic carbon. C:N:P ratios have had a significant effect on the profiles of phosphate release and phosphate uptake and nitrogen removal. The highest rates of phosphate release and phosphate uptake were recorded at the C:N:P ratio of 140:70:7. The C:N ratio of 2.5:1 ensured complete denitrification. The highest rate of denitrification was achieved at the C:N:P ratio of 140:35:7. The increase of nitrogen load caused an increase in phosphates removal until a ratio C:N:P of 140:140:7. Bacteria of the biofilm exposed to alternate conditions of mixing and aeration exhibited enhanced intracellular accumulation of polyphosphates. Also, the structure of the biofilm encouraged anaerobic-aerobic as well as anoxic-anaerobic and absolutely anaerobic conditions in a SBBR. These heterogeneous conditions in the presence of nitrates may be a significant factor determining the promotion of denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organism (DNPAO) development.

The effect of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) on nutrient removal in SBR with biomass adapted to dairy wastewater

This study aims to determine the effect of volatile fatty acids on nitrates and orthophosphate removal in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with activated sludge biomass adapted to process dairy wastewater. The research also determine whether it is the type of fatty acid applied that is responsible for the effectiveness of denitrification and dephosphatation at varying nitrate:orthophosphate ratios, or whether these processes are additionally affected by the presence of microorganisms that have adapted to the specific carbon composition of the wastewater being treated. At the beginning of an operating cycle SBRs were dosed with VFAs to provide a source of carbon. A comparative analysis was performed of nitrate and orthophosphate removal at initial nitrate concentrations of 1.22, 7.3 and 15.2 mgNNO3·L−1. Doses of fatty acids were approximately 10.5 mgCOD·mg−1PPO4. They consisted of acetic, propionic, butyric, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric and caproic acids. Increases of nitrate concentration from 1.22 to 15.2 mg NNO3·L−1 were observed to reduce the quantity of removed orthophosphate depending on the fatty acid applied, from 7.2–9.2 mgPPO4·L−1 to 4.5 – 6.7 mgPPO4·L−1. Every increase in the removed nitrates by 5.0 mgNNO3·L−1 was accompanied by a decrease in the removed orthophosphate of around 1 mgPPO4·L−1. The reactor containing acetic acid was found to remove the highest amount of orthophosphate irrespective of the nitrates concentration. Acids present in significant amount in dairy wastewaters (i.e. acetic, propionic and butyric) were more effective source of carbon in the denitrification process compared to low concentration acids.

The use of cross-linked chitosan beads for nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphate) removal from a mixture of P-PO4, N-NO2 and N-NO3

A hydrogel chitosan sorbent ionically cross-linked with sodium citrate and covalently cross-linked with epichlorohydrin was used to remove nutrients from an equimolar mixture of P-PO4, N-NO2 and N-NO3. The scope of the study included, among other things, determination of the influence of pH on nutrient sorption effectiveness, nutrient sorption kinetics as well as determination of the maximum sorption capacity of cross-linked chitosan sorbents regarding P-PO4 (H2PO4-, HPO42-), N-NO2 (HNO2, NO2-), and N-NO3 (NO3-). The effect of the type of the cross-linking agent on the affinity of the modified chitosan to each nutrient was studied as well. The kinetics of nutrient sorption on the tested chitosan sorbents was best described with the pseudo-second order model. The model of intramolecular diffusion showed that P-PO4, N-NO2 and N-NO3 sorption on cross-linked hydrogel chitosan beads proceeded in two phases. The best sorbent of nutrients turned out to be chitosan cross-linked covalently with epichlorohydrin; with P-PO4, N-NO2 and N-NO3 sorption capacity reaching: 1.23, 0.94 and 0.76mmol/g, respectively (total of 2.92mmol/g). For comparison, the sorption capacity of chitosan cross-linked ionically with sodium citrate was: 0.43, 0.39 and 0.39mmol/g for P-PO4, N-NO2 and N-NO3, respectively (total of 1.21mmol/g).

Anaerobic rotating disc batch reactor nutrient removal process enhanced by volatile fatty acid addition

RBC effluent needs further treatment because of water-quality standards requiring low nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. It may be achieved by using reactors with biomass immobilized on the fillings surface as post-denitrification biofilm reactors. Due to the lack of organic matter in treated wastewater, the introduction of external carbon sources becomes necessary. The new attached growth bioreactor – anaerobic rotating disc batch reactor (ARDBR) – was examined as a post-denitrification reactor. The impact of selected volatile fatty acids on nutrient removal efficiency in an ARDBR was studied. The biofilm was developing on totally submerged discs mounted coaxially on a vertical shaft. Acetic, propionic, butyric and caproic acids were applied. Wastewaters were removed from the reactors after 24-h treatment, together with the excess solids. In the ARDBR tank, there was no biomass in the suspended form at the beginning of the treatment process. Acids with a higher number of carbon atoms (butyric and caproic) were the most efficient in denitrification process. The highest phosphorus removal efficiency was noted in the ARDBR with butyric and propionic acids. The lowest unitary consumption of the external source of carbon in denitrification was recorded for acetic acid, whereas the highest one for caproic acid.

PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL IN FILTERS FILLED WITH LWA MADE OF FLY ASHES

The effectiveness of phosphorus removal in vertical-flow filters with double-layer filling composed of light weight aggregate made of fly ashes from sewage sludge thermal treatment (FASSTT LWA) and gravel was determined. Synthetic wastewaters containing 7.36 mg/L of phosphorus were fed into filter columns filled with gravel and FASSTT LWA (gravel was the bed’s lower layer, whereas the top layer of the FASSTT LWA constituted 0, 12, 25, 50, and 100% of the depth of the column) at hydraulic loads from 0.003, to 0.007 m/d. The study demonstrated that the efficiency of phosphorus removal depends on the ratio between the gravel and FASSTT LWA. Phosphorus removal is mainly due to adsorption on the surface of the filter filling. The highest phosphorus removal rate was achieved in the filter column with 50% FASSTT LWA and 50% gravel content, irrespective of the hydraulic load applied. The study confirmed the possibility of using FASSTT LWA to produce granular filling and application as the filling of filter columns used for the treatment of wastewaters containing significant concentration of phosphorus.

Effect of dairy wastewater on changes in COD fractions in technical-scale SBR type reactors

The annual global production of milk is approximately 630,000 million litres and the volume of generated dairy wastewater accounts for 3.2 m3·m-3 product. Dairy wastewater is characterized by a high load of chemical oxygen demand (COD). In many wastewater plants dairy wastewater and municipal wastewater are co-treated. The effect of dairy wastewater contribution on COD fraction changes in municipal sewage which has been treated with a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) in three wastewater treatment plants in north-east Poland is presented. In these plants the real contribution of dairy wastewater was 10, 13 and 17%. In raw wastewater, SS fraction (readily biodegradable dissolved organic matter) was dominant and ranged from 38.3 to 62.6%. In the effluent, SS fraction was not noted, which is indicative of consumption by microorganisms. The presence of dairy wastewater in municipal sewage does not cause changes in the content of the XI fraction (insoluble fractions of non-biodegradable organic matter). SBR effluents were dominated by non-biodegradable dissolved organic matter SI, which from 57.7 to 61.7%. In raw wastewater SI ranged from 1.0 to 4.6%. Xs fraction (slowly biodegradable non-soluble organic matter) in raw wastewater ranged from 24.6 to 45.5% while in treated wastewater it ranged from 28.6 to 30.8%. In the control object (fourth wastewater plant) which does not process dairy wastewater, the SS, SI, Xs and XI fraction in inflow was 28.7, 2.4, 51.7 and 17.2% respectively. In the effluent the SS, SI, Xs and XI fraction was below 0.1, 33.6, 50.0 and 16.4% respectively.

Effect of Acetic Acid on Denitrification and Dephosphatation Process Efficiencies in Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor

This study investigates the feasibility of using an organic substrate in the form of acetic acid to enable wastewater denitrification in a Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (SBBR). The impact of nitrates presence on the yield of biological dephosphatation was determined as well. The experiment included 296 cycles and was divided into 4 series differing in the load of nitrates. The N:(C and P) ratios were: 7:(140 and 7); 35:(140 and 7); 70:(140 and 7) and 140:(140 and 7). The hydraulic retention time in the reactor was 12h (6h of mixing – dissolved oxygen concentration below 0.1 and 6h of aeration – concentration of dissolved oxygen 3.0±0.8 mgO2·dm -3). The study demonstrated that the 30-day adaptation period (60 cycles) was sufficient for the development of a stable biofilm. The C:N ratio of 2 ensured the total nitrogen concentration in the effluent below 1 mgN·dm-3. The mean efficiency of biological dephosphatation reached 7.0, 17.4, 18.7, and 30.3% in series 1–4, respectively. In the case of series 2 and 3, no significant differences were demonstrated in the total phosphorus concentration in the effluent. In the other series, the differences turned out to be significant.

THE INFLUENCE OF CHITOSAN DEACETYLATION DEGREE ON REACTIVE BLACK 5 SORPTION EFFICIENCY FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

In the paper sorption capacity of chitosan having a deacetylation degree DD=75%, DD=85% and DD=90% relatively to the Reactive Black 5 were compared. Studies on the effectiveness of the dye sorption were carried out in a wide pH range – from 3 to 11. For each of the tested chitosan sorbents, sorption capacity has been determined. The results were described by isotherms Freundlich and Lagmuir isotherms, and a double Langmuir isotherm. Sorption of Reactive Black 5 most efficiently occurred at pH 4. At pH <4 chitosan sorbents underwent dissolution, regardless of the degree of deacetylation. The efficiency of dye sorption increased with the degree of deacetylation. The sorption capacity calculated after 12 h of the chitosan sorption with DD=75%, DD=85% and DD =90% was, relatively to the Reactive Black 5, respectively 433.03 mg/g and 464.52 mg/g and 532.14 mg/g. The impact of the deacetylation degree on pHZPC (zero point of charge) of the sorbent was also examined. Along with the increase in the deacetylation degree the value of chitosan pHZPC increased as well and at DD=75% DD=85% and DD=90%, pHZPC amounted respectively 7.6, 7.7 and 7.8.

THE IMPACT OF FOOD WASTE DISCHARGE INTO THE MUNICIPAL SEWERAGE ON COD CONCENTRATION IN URBAN WASTEWATER IN OLSZTYN

The operators of wastewater treatment plants in Poland have been observing an increase in the concentration of raw sewage for several years. In particular for organic substances. This is the effect of water consumption reduction, restoration of the sewerage networks, growing wealth, widespread waste of food. The most serious adverse, influencing on the municipal wastewater composition is colloid mills application in gastronomical objects and the discharge of shredded food waste to sewer. That widespread behavior has been noticed and negated, in 2010 year, by the common position of GIS and the ME. Far too late, which confirms the situation observed at the Olsztyn wastewater treatment plant, where the biggest increase of COD values was observed in 2008–2010. The average concentration of COD of sewage in the period 2011–2014 was almost twice higher than in 1996, real PE is close to the design value, despite the fact that the hydraulic load of the object slightly exceeded 50% of design value. Removing such large organic pollutant loads generates high costs, that could be avoided by reasonable food waste management.