Wiboonluk Pungrasmi

Immobilization of nitrite oxidizing bacteria using biopolymeric chitosan media

The effects of chitosan characteristics including the degree of deacetylation, molecular weight, particle size, pH pretreatment and immobilization time on the immobilization of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) on biopolymeric chitosan were investigated. Nitrite removal efficiency of immobilized NOB depended on the degree of deacetylation, particle size, pH pretreatment on the surface of chitosan and immobilization time. Scanning electron microscope characterization illustrated that the number of NOB cells attached to the surface of chitosan increased with an increment of immobilization time. The optimal condition for NOB immobilization on chitosan was achieved during a 24-hr immobilization period using chitosan with the degree of deacetylation larger than 80% and various particle size ranges between 1-5 mm at pH 6.5. In general, the NOB immobilized on chitosan flakes has a high potential to remove excess nitrite from wastewater and aquaculture systems.

Optimization and evaluation of a bottom substrate denitrification tank for nitrate removal from a recirculating aquaculture system

A bottom substrate denitrification tank for a recirculating aquaculture system was developed. The laboratory scale denitrification tank was an 8 L tank (0.04 m2 tank surface area), packed to a depth of 5 cm with a bottom substrate for natural denitrifying bacteria. An aquarium pump was used for gentle water mixing in the tank; the dissolved oxygen in the water was maintained in aerobic conditions (e.g. > 2 mg/L) while anoxic conditions predominated only at the bottom substrate layer. The results showed that, among the four substrates tested (soil, sand, pumice stone and vermiculite), pumice was the most preferable material. Comparing carbon supplementation using methanol and molasses, methanol was chosen as the carbon source because it provided a higher denitrification rate than molasses. When methanol was applied at the optimal COD:N ratio of 5:1, a nitrate removal rate of 4591 +/- 133 mg-N/m2 tank bottom area/day was achieved. Finally, nitrate removal using an 80 L denitrification tank was evaluated with a 610 L recirculating tilapia culture system. Nitrate treatment was performed by batch transferring high nitrate water from the nitrification tank into the denitrification tank and mixing with methanol at a COD:N ratio of 5:1. The results from five batches of nitrate treatment revealed that nitrate was successfully removed from water without the accumulation of nitrite and ammonia. The average nitrate removal efficiency was 85.17% and the average denitrification rate of the denitrification tank was 6311 +/- 945 mg-N/m2 tank bottom area/day or 126 +/- 18 mg-N/L of pumice packing volume/day.

Microbial community analysis using MiSeq sequencing in a novel configuration fluidized bed reactor for effective denitrification

A novel configured fluidized bed reactor (FBR) with granular rubber as the fluidized media was operated without internal recirculation to achieve denitrification. This FBR could operate under a low hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50min due to the low rubber media density and absence of recirculation. Synthetic nitrate-rich wastewater with a fixed nitrate (NO3--N) concentration and varying COD concentrations was fed into the FBR. The nitrate removal profile showed a rapid nitrate reduction at the bottom of the reactor with a high performance under the low HRT. Different microbial communities were identified using Illumina Miseq sequencing. The dominant microorganisms belonged to the Beta- and Gamma-proteobacteria classes and played important roles in nitrate reduction. Acidovorax was abundant at low COD: NO3--N ratios, while Rhizobium and Zoogloea were dominant at high COD: NO3--N ratios. The COD: NO3--N ratio strongly influenced the composition of the microbial community including the dominant species.