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Feasibility Study of Complete Nitrogen Removal from Domestic Wastewater by Consequent Nitrification–Denitrification Using Immobilized Nitrifiers in Gel Beads
Author(s) -
Libman Vyacheslav,
Eliosov Boris,
Argaman Yerachmiel
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143000x137095
Subject(s) - nitrification , heterotroph , wastewater , anoxic waters , denitrification , chemistry , biomass (ecology) , nitrogen , environmental engineering , sewage treatment , environmental chemistry , bioreactor , ammonium , aerobic denitrification , pulp and paper industry , denitrifying bacteria , environmental science , ecology , bacteria , biology , organic chemistry , engineering , genetics
A two‐stage process for complete removal of nitrogen from domestic wastewater is proposed in this paper. The two stages of this process are an aerobic stage using nitrifying microorganisms immobilized in gel beads and a conventional anoxic stage. The possible application of gel‐entrapped biomass for high‐rate, complete nitrogen removal from domestic wastewater was verified through theoretical and experimental work. Two assumptions were confirmed in the present work: (a) substances present in domestic wastewater do not inhibit nitrification, and (b) heterotrophic biomass that builds up on the surface of nitrifying beads is not expected to affect ammonium oxidation or remove a significant part of the biochemical oxygen demand required for denitrification. The effect of the attached heterotrophic layer on system performance was evaluated through theoretical prediction and short‐term experiments. Calculations indicated that complete nitrogen removal could be achieved if the heterotrophic layer on 2‐mm gel beads is less than 12 m thick. The heterotrophic biofilm observed in the experiments did not homogeneously spread over the entire bead surface. It was found that attached growth of heterotrophs is affected by mixing intensity and type of carrier material.