Performance of a Horizontal Flow Constructed Reed Bed Filter for Municipal Wastewater Treatment: The Case Study of the Prototype Installed at Gaston Berger University, Saint-Louis, Senegal

In Saint-Louis, Senegal, a constructed wetland with horizontal flow reed beds (FHa and FHb) has demonstrated significant efficacy in treating municipal wastewater. Analyzing various treatment stages, the system showed only a slight temperature variation, from an influent average of 26.3°C to an effluent of 24.7°C. Electrical conductivity decreased from 1331 mS/cm to 974.5 mS/cm post-primary treatment, with suspended solids (SS) dramatically reduced from 718.9 mg/L to 5.7 mg/L in the final effluent. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) saw a notable decrease, from initial levels of 655.6 mg/L and 1240 mg/L to 2.3 mg/L and 71.3 mg/L, respectively. Nitrogenous compounds (N-TN) and phosphates () also decreased significantly, indicating the system’s nutrient removal capacity. Microbiological analysis revealed a reduction in fecal coliforms from 7.5 Ulog/100ml to 1.8 Ulog/100ml and a complete elimination of helminth eggs. The presence of Phragmites and Typha was instrumental in enhancing these reductions. The system’s compliance with the Senegalese standards for disposal into natural environments, WHO recommendations for unrestricted water reuse in irrigation, and the European legislation for water reuse was established. The effluent quality met the stringent criteria for various classes of agricultural reuse, illustrating the system’s potential for sustainable water management. This wetland model presents a robust solution for water-stressed regions, ensuring environmental protection while supporting agricultural needs. The study calls for ongoing research to further refine the system for optimal, reliable wastewater treatment and water resource sustainability.

Effect of Slash Burning on Nutrient Removal and Soil Fertility in Chinese Fir and Evergreen Broadleaved Forests of Mid-Subtropical China

A Chinese fir forest (Cunninghamia lanceolata, CF) and an evergreen broadleaved forest (EB) located inFujian Province, southeastern China, were examined following slash burning to compare nutrient capital andtopsoil properties with pre-burn levels. After fire, nutrient (N, P and K) removal from burning residues wasestimated at 302.5 kg ha-1 in the CF and 644.8 kg ha-1 in the EB. Fire reduced the topsoil capitals of totalN and P by about 20% and 10%, respectively, in both forests, while K capital was increased in the topsoils ofboth forests following fire. Total site nutrient loss through surface erosion was 28.4 kg (N) ha-1, 8.4 kg (P)ha-1 and 328.7 kg (K) ha-1 in the CF. In the EB, the losses of total N, P and K were 58.5, 10.5 and 396.3kg ha-1, respectively. Improvement of soil structure and increase in mineralization of nutrients associatedwith increased microbe number and enzyme activities and elevated soil respiration occurred 5 days after fire.However, organic matter and available nutrient contents and most of other soil parameters declined one yearafter fire on the burned CF and EB topsoils. These results suggest that short-term site productivity canbe stimulated immediately, but reduced subsequently by soil and water losses, especially in South China,where high-intensity precipitation, steep slopes and fragile soil can be expected. Therefore, the silviculturalmeasurements should be developed in plantation management.

Enhanced Biological Nutrients Removal in Modified Step-feed Anaerobic/Anoxic/Oxic Process

In order to enhance phosphorus removal in traditional step-feed anoxic/oxic nitrogen removal process,a modified pilot-scale step-feed anaerobic/anoxic/oxic(SFA 2/O) system was developed,which combined a reactor similar to UCT-type configuration and two-stage anoxic/oxic process.The simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal capacities and the potential of denitrifying phosphorus removal,in particular,were investigated with four different feeding patterns using real municipal wastewater.The results showed that the feeding ratios(Q1)in the first stage determined the nutrient removal performance in the SFA 2/O system.The average phosphorus removal efficiency increased from 19.17% to 96.25% as Q1 was gradually increased from run 1 to run 4,but the nitrogen removal efficiency exhibited a different tendency,which attained a maximum 73.61%in run 3 and then decreased to 59.62%in run 4.As a compromise between nitrogen and phosphorus removal,run 3 (Q1=0.45Qtotal) was identified as the optimal and stable case with the maximum anoxic phosphorus uptake rate of 1.58 mg·(g MLSS)-1 ·h-1.The results of batch tests showed that ratio of the anoxic phosphate uptake capacity to the aerobic phosphate uptake capacity increased from 11.96% to 36.85% with the optimal influent feeding ratio to the system in run 3,which demonstrated that the denitrifying polyP accumulating organisms could be accumulated and contributed more to the total phosphorus removal by optimizing the inflow ratio distribution.However,the nitrate recirculation to anoxic zone and influent feeding ratios should be carefully controlled for carbon source saving.

Waste Activated Sludge Alkaline Fermentation Liquid as Carbon Source for Biological Nutrients Removal in Anaerobic Followed by Alternating Aerobic-Anoxic Sequencing Batch Reactors

Activated sludge process has been widely used to remove phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater. However,the nitrogen and phosphorus removal is sometimes unsatisfactory due to the low influent COD.Another problem with the activated sludge process is that large amount of waste activated sludge is produced,which needs further treatment.In this study,the waste activated sludge alkaline fermentation liquid was used as the main carbon source for phosphorus and nitrogen removal under anaerobic followed by alternating aerobic-anoxic conditions,and the results were compared with those using acetic acid as the carbon source.The use of alkaline fermentation liquid not only affected the transformations of phosphorus,nitrogen,intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoates and glycogen, but also led to higher removal efficiencies for phosphorus and nitrogen compared with acetic acid.It was observed that ammonium was completely removed with either alkaline fermentation liquid or acetic acid as the carbon source. However,the former resulted in higher removal efficiencies for phosphorus(95%)and nitrogen(82%),while the latter showed lower ones(87%and 74%,respectively).The presence of a large amount of propionic acid in the alkaline fermentation liquid was one possible reason for its higher phosphorus removal efficiency.Exogenous instead of endogenous denitrification was the main pathway for nitrogen removal with the alkaline fermentation liquid as the carbon source,which was responsible for its higher nitrogen removal efficiency.It seems that the alkaline fermentation liquid can replace acetic acid as the carbon source for phosphorus and nitrogen removal in anaerobic fol- lowed by alternating aerobic-anoxic sequencing batch reactor.

Biological Nutrient Removal in a Full Scale Anoxic/Anaerobic/Aerobic/ Pre-anoxic-MBR Plant for Low C/N Ratio Municipal Wastewater Treatment

A novel full scale modified A2O （anoxic/anaerobic/aerobic/pre-anoxic）-membrane bioreactor （MBR） plant combined with the step feed strategy was operated to improve the biological nutrient removal （BNR） from low C/N ratio municipal wastewater in Southern China. Transformation of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, and membrane fouling were investigated. Experimental results for over four months demonstrated good efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand （COD） and NH4^＋-N removal, with average values higher than 84.5%and 98.1%, re-spectively. A relatively higher total nitrogen （TN） removal efficiency （52.1%） was also obtained at low C/N ratio of 3.82, contributed by the configuration modification （anoxic zone before anaerobic zone） and the step feed with a distribution ratio of 1：1. Addition of sodium acetate into the anoxic zone as the external carbon source, with a theoretical amount of 31.3 mg COD per liter in influent, enhanced denitrification and the TN removal efficiency in-creased to 74.9%. Moreover, the total phosphate （TP） removal efficiency increased by 18.0%. It is suggested that the external carbon source is needed to improve the BNR performance in treating low C/N ratio municipal waste-water in the modified A^2O-MBR process.

Enhanced biological nutrient removal in modified carbon source division anaerobic anoxic oxic process with return activated sludge pre-concentration

A pilot-scale modified carbon source division anaerobic anoxic oxic(AAO) process with pre-concentration of returned activated sludge(RAS) was proposed in this study for the enhanced biological nutrient removal(BNR) of municipal wastewater with limited carbon source. The influent carbon source was fed in step while a novel RAS pre-concentration tank was adopted to improve BNR efficiency, and the effects of an influent carbon source distribution ratio and a RAS pre-concentration ratio were investigated. The results show that the removal efficiency of TN is mainly influenced by the carbon source distribution ratio while the TP removal relies on the RAS pre-concentration ratio. The optimum carbon source distribution ratio and RAS pre-concentration ratio are 60% and 50%, respectively, with an inner recycling ratio of 100% under the optimum steady operation of pilot test, reaching an average effluent TN concentration of 9.8 mg·L-1with a removal efficiency of 63% and an average TP removal efficiency of 94%. The mechanism of nutrient removal is discussed and the kinetics is analyzed. The results reveal that the optimal carbon source distribution ratio provides sufficient denitrifying carbon source to each anoxic phase, reducing nitrate accumulation while the RAS pre-concentration ratio improves the condition of anaerobic zone to ensure the phosphorus release due to less nitrate in the returned sludge. Therefore, nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria and phosphorus accumulation organisms play an important role under the optimum condition, enhancing the performance of nutrient removal in this test.

Exploring the factors affecting carbon and nutrient concentrations in tree biomass components in natural forests,forest plantations and short rotation forestry

Background: Coupling biomass models with nutrient concentrations can provide sound estimations of carbon and nutrient contents, enabling the improvement of carbon and nutrient balance in forest ecosystems. Although nutrient concentrations are often assumed to be constant for some species and specific tree components, at least in mature stands,the concentrations usually vary with age, site index and even with tree density. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the sources of variation in nutrient concentrations in biomass compartments usually removed during harvesting operations, covering a range of species and management conditions: semi-natural forest, conventional forest plantations and short rotation forestry(SRF). Five species(Betula pubescens, Quercus robur, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus nitens and Populus spp.) and 14 genotypes were considered. A total of 430 trees were sampled in 61 plots to obtain 6 biomass components:leaves, twigs, thin branches, thick branches, bark and wood. Aboveground leafless biomass was pooled together forpoplar.The concentrations of C, N, K, P, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and B were measured and the total biomass of each sampled tree and plot were determined. The data were analysed using boosted regression trees and conventional techniques.Results: The main sources of variation in nutrient concentrations were biomass component > > genotype(species) ≈ age >tree diameter. The concentrations of Ca, Mg and K were most strongly affected by genotype and age. The concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, S and Cu in the wood component decreased with age, whereas C concentrations increased, with a trend to reach 50% in the older trees. In the SRF, interamerican poplar and P. trichocarpa genotypes were comparatively more efficient in terms of Ca and K nutrient assimilation index(NAI)(+65-85%) than eucalypts, mainly because leafless biomass can be removed. In the conventional eucalypt plantations(rotation 15 years), debarking the wood at logging(savings of225% of Ca and 254% of Mg for E. globulus) or the use of selected genotypes(savings of 45% of P and 35% of Ca) will provide wood at a relatively lower nutrient cost. Considering all the E. globulus genotypes together, the management for pulp with removal of debarked wood shows NAI values well above(x 1.7-x 3.9) the ones found for poplar or eucalypt SRF and also higher(x 1.6-x4.0) than the ones found for oak and birch managed in medium or long rotations.The annual rates of nutrient removal were low in the native broadleaved species but the rates of available soil nutrients removed were high as compared to poplar or eucalypts. Management of native broadleaved species should consider nutrient stability through selection of the biomass compartments removed.(Continued on next page)(Continued from previous page)Conclusions: The nutrient assimilation index is higher in poplar grown under short rotation forestry management than in the other systems considered. Nutrient management of fast growing eucalyptus plantations could be improved by selecting efficient genotypes and limiting removal of wood. The values of the nutrient assimilation index are lower in the natural stands of native broadleaved species than in the other systems considered.

Enhanced biological nutrients removal using an integrated oxidation ditch with vertical circle from wastewater by adding an anaerobic column

Compared to conventional oxidation ditches, an integrated oxidation ditch with vertical circle （IODVC） has the characters of concise configuration, simple operation and maintenance, land saving and automatical sludge returning. By the utilization of vertical circulation, an aerobic zone and an anoxic zone can be unaffectedly formed in the IODVC. Therefore, COD and nitrogen can be efficiently removed. However, the removal efficiency of phosphorus was low in the IODVC. In the experiment described, a laboratory scale system to add an anaerobic column to the IODVC has been tested to investigate the removal of phosphorus from wastewater. The experimental results showed that the removal efficiency of TP with the anaerobic column was increased to 54.0% from 22.3% without the anaerobic column. After the acetic sodium was added into the influent as carbon sources, the mean TP removal efficency of 77. 5 % was obtained. At the same time, the mean removal efficiencies of COD, TN and NH3-N were 92.2%, 81.6% and 98.1%, respectively, at 12 h of HRT and 21-25 d of SRT. The optimal operational conditions in this study were as follows： recycle rate = 1.5-2.0, COD/TN 〉 6, COD/TP 〉 40, COD loading rate = 0.26-0.32 kgCOD/（kgSS· d）, TN loading rate = 0. 028-0. 034 kgTN/（ kgSS·d） and TP loading rate = 0.003-0.005 kgTP/（kgSS· d）, respectively.

Model assessment of nutrient removal via planting Sesuvium portulacastrum in floating beds in eutrophic marine waters:the case of aquaculture areas of Dongshan Bay

Many coastal seas are severely eutrophic and required to reduce nutrient concentrations to meet a certain water quality standard.We proposed a method for nutrient removal by planting Sesuvium portulacastrum at the water surface using the floating beds in the aquaculture area of the Dongshan Bay as an example,which is an important net-cage culture base in China and where dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN)and dissolved inorganic phosphate(DIP)reach 0.75 mg/L and 0.097 mg/L,respectively far exceeding China’s Grade IV water quality standards.Numerical simulations were taken using the ecological model,field observations and field plantation experimental results to assess the environmental restoration effects of planting S.portulacastrum at some certain spatial scales.Our field experiments suggested that the herbs can absorb 377 g/m^2 nitrogen and 22.9 g/m^2 phosphorus in eight months with an inserting density of^60 shoot/m^2.The numerical experiments show that the greater the plantation area is,the more nutrient removal.Plantation in^12%of the study area could lower nutrients to the required Grade II standards,i.e.,0.2 mg/L<DIN≤0.3 mg/L and 0.015 mg/L<DIP≤0.03 mg/L.Here the phytoremediation method and results provide helpful references for environmental restoration in other eutrophic seas.

Effects of temperature,algae biomass and ambient nutrient on the absorption of dissolved nitrogen and phosphate by Rhodophyte Gracilaria asiatica

Gracilaria asiatica, being highly efficient in nutrient absorption, is cultivated in sea cucumber ponds to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate. It was cultured in a laboratory simulating field conditions, and its nutrient absorption was measured to evaluate effects of environmental conditions. Ammonia nitrogen （AN）, nitrate nitrogen （NN）, total inorganic nitrogen （TIN）, and soluble reactive phosphorus （SRP） uptake rate and removal efficiency were determined in a 4~2 factorial design experiment in water temperatures （T） at 15~C and 25~C, algae biomass （AB） at 0.5 g/L and 1.0 g/L, total inorganic nitrogen （TIN） at 30 ~tmol/L and 60 ~tmol/L, and soluble reactive phosphorus （SRP） at 3 and 6 ~tmol/L. AB and ambient TIN or SRP levels significantly affected uptake rate and removal efficiency of AN, NN, TIN, and SRP （P〈0.001）. G. asiatica in AB of 0.5 g/L showed higher uptake rate and lower removal efficiency relative to that with AB of 1.0 g/L. Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake rate rose with increasing ambient nutrient concentrations; nutrient removal efficiency decreased at higher environmental nutrient concentrations. The algae preferred to absorb AN to NN. Uptake rates of AN, NN, and SRP were significantly affected by temperature （P〈0.001）; uptake rate was higher for the 25~C group than for the 15~C group at the initial experiment stage. Only the removal efficiency of AN and SRP showed a significant difference between the two temperature groups （P〈0.01）. The four factors had significant interactive effects on absorption of N and P, implying that G. asiatica has great bioremedial potential in sea cucumber culture ponds.

Aboveground biomass and nutrient allocation in an age-sequence of Larix olgensis plantations

Biomass and nutrient （N, P, K, Ca, Mg） stock in various aboveground tree components （stemwood, stembark, branches and leaves） were quantified in an age sequence of pure Larix olgensis plantations （20, 35, 53 and 69 years old） in Northeast China. The results show that the aboveground biomass allocation in various tree components was in the order of stemwood （62%-83%）, branches （9%-21%）, stembark （7%-11%） and leaves （1%-6%） for all stands. The proportion of stemwood biomass to total aboveground biomass increased whereas that of other tree components decreased consistently with stand age from 20 to 53 years old, but kept relatively constant with stand age from 53 and 69 years old. The nutrient allocation in various tree components generally followed the same pattern as the biomass allocation （i.e. stemwood 〉 branches 〉 stembark 〉 leaves）. The proportion of nutrient stock in leaves to total aboveground nutrient stock decreased consistently with increasing stand age, while that in stemwood increased with stand age from 20 to 53 years old but then decreased from 53 to 69 years old. The rate of nutrient removal for stands was estimated at different stand ages under different logging schemes, showing that the rate of nutrient removal would be unchanged when the rotation length was shortened to 20 years by the harvest of stem only, but greatly increased by the harvest of total aboveground biomass. The rate of nutrient removal would be a considerable reduction for all elements by debarking, especially for Ca.

Microalgal Cultivation in Secondary Effluents:Enhancement of Algal Biomass,Nutrient Removal,and Lipid Productivity

The growth performance,nutrient removal,lipid accumulation and morphological changes of Cyanobacterium aponinum OUC1 and Scenedesmus obliquus which were cultured in secondary effluents from two wastewater treatment plants:Tuandao Wastewater Treatment Plant(ETD)and Licun River Wastewater Treatment Plant(ELR)were investigated.The results showed that both C.aponinum OUC1 and S.obliquus have superior growth performances in both undiluted effluents,while the better of them was that in ETD effluent,with cell densities of C.aponinum OUC1 and S.obliquus increased by 159%and 66%over that of BG11(control),respectively.Regarding nutrient removal,S.obliquus could completely remove inorganic phosphorus,and decrease ammonia nitrogen in ETD effluent by 81%.In addition,both C.aponinum OUC1 and S.obliquus cultivated in ETD exhibited extraordinary potential for biofuel production,increasing lipid productivities by 133%and 89%of that cultivated in ELR,respectively.As to ultrastructural changes,the differences in the lipoidal globules and glycogen granules of S.obliquus and C.aponinum OUC1 among the ETD and ELR treatments were mostly related to phosphorus limitations.The findings from this research reveal the probability using the secondary effluents as cultivation media to enhance algal biomass,nutrient removal and lipid productivity.

Determination of Nutrient Uptake Characteristic of Black Pepper （Piper nigrum L.）

The relationship between the growth and nutrient uptake by perennial crop such as pepper is poorly understood and improved understanding of such relationship is important for the establishment of rational crop management practices. In order to characterize the growth performance and quantify the nutrient removed, this study presents results of three consecutive cropping years, fertilized with 1, 2 and 3 ton ha1 of NPK fertilizer respectively. Plant biomass accumulated was evaluated every two months, separating plant into stems, branches, leaves, berries, fruit spikes and flowers. Total biomass of pepper increased linearly and reach maximum at 22 months after planting. Thereafter, a decrease in dry matter was observed due to fruit export and fallen leaves at harvest. However, at the 28 months of planting, the biomass of pepper vine showing some increasing trend indicating the vegetative growth was reassumed for the next flowering. At 30 months, the pepper had removed 293.08 kg of nitrogen, 46.41 kg of phosphorus, 264.95 kg of potassium, 35.4 kg of magnesium and 74.82 kg of calcium. Based on data obtained, the nutrient uptake rates were lower than nutrient applied suggested that fertilizer had been overused for pepper production. In light of these results obtained, the optimum fertilizer dosage would be 62-10-62-6-18 kg/ha, 237-22-246-22-65 kg/ha and 390-62-352-47-100 kg/ha of N-P-K-Mg-Ca for the year 1, year 2 and year 3 of cropping year.

Nitrogen Removal Efficiencies for Two Biological Nutrient Removal （BNR） Plants in Thailand： Molasses as an External Carbon Source for Enriched Denitrifying Culture in a BNR Process

Two biological nutrient removal （BNR） wastewater treatment plants （WWTPs） in Thailand were selected for study： the Nonghkaem WWTP and the Suvarnabhumi Airport WWTP. For each site the influents, effluents, and supernatant liquids from anaerobic sludge digesters were analyzed for total Kjeldahl nitrogen （TKN）, total nitrogen （TN）, total chemical oxygen demand （TCOD）, biodegradable chemical oxygen demand （bCOD）, and biochemical oxygen demand （BOD）. Nitrogen removal efficiencies in the Nonghkaem WWTP and the Suvarnabhumi Airport WWTP were evaluated. Inadequate nitrogen removal at the Nonghkaem centralized WWTP was found during the summer period. Influent ratios of bCOD：N at the Nonghkaem plant and the Suvarnabhumi Airport plant were 2.42：1-5.45：1 and 4.1：1-6.5：1, respectively. The efficacy of addition of molasses as a carbon source for enriched denitrifying culture in a BNR process at Nonghkaem was studied. Fluorescent in situ hybridization technique （FISH） was used to identify specific nitrifying bacteria （Nitrosomonas spp., Nitrobacter spp. and Nitrospira spp.）. Nitrospira spp. was the most prevalent species in the aeration tank at the Nonghkaem WWTP. This result from FISH suggests that there were significantly low oxygen and nitrite concentration in the aeration tank at the Nonghkaem WWTP during a period of low nitrogen removal.

Seasonal and Spatial Variability of Water Quality and Nutrient Removal Efficiency of Restored Wetland： A Case Study in Fujin National Wetland Park, China

To investigate the spatio-temporal and compositional variation of selected water quality parameters and understand the puri- fying effects of wetland in Fujin National Wetland Park （FNWP）, China, the trophic level index （TLI）, paired samples t-test and correla- tion analysis were used for the statistical analysis of a set of 10 water quality parameters. The analyses were based on water samples collected from 22 stations in FNWP between 2014 and 2016. Results initially reveal that total nitrogen （TN） concentrations are above class V levels （2 mg/L）, total phosphorus （TP） concentrations are below class III levels （0.2 mg/L）, and that all other parameters fall within standard ranges. Highest values for TN, pH, and Chlorophyll-a were recorded in 2016, while the levels of chemical oxygen de- mand （CODMn） and biochemical oxygen demand （BODs） were lowest during this year. Similarly, TN values were highest between 2014 and 2016 while dissolved oxygen （DO） concentrations were lowest in the summer and TP concentrations were highest in the autumn. Significant variations were also found in Secchi depth （SD）, TN, CODMn （P 〈 0.01）, TP, and DO levels （P 〈 0.05） between the inlet and outlet of the park. High-to-low levels of TN, TP, and TDS were found in cattails, reeds, and open water （the opposite trend was seen in SD levels）. Tested wetland water had a light eutrophication status in most cases and TN and TP removal rates were between 7.54%-84.36% and 37.50%-70.83%, respectively. Data also show no significant annual changes in water quality within this wetland, although obvious affects from surrounding agricultural drainage were nevertheless recorded. Results reveal a high major nutrient removal efficiency （N and P）. The upper limits of these phenomena should be addressed in future research alongside a more efficient and scientific agricultural layout for the regions in and around the FNWP.

Practice of High Concentration Sludge for Efficient Nutrient Removal from Municipal Sewage

ECOSUNIDE is a new activated sludge process based on the sludge concentration optimization theory.With it,we carried out a high sludge concentration by changing influent mode and distributing carbon source in a reasonable way,which can improve the ecological superiority of nitrification and denitrification for the growth of phosphorous accumulating organisms(PAOs)and nitrifiers and raised the nutrient removal efficiency of municipal sewage treatment plants.In 2007,we adopted this technique in Linyi Sewage Treatment Plant in Shandong Province,China.After the reconstruction,we achieved the high efficiency of nutrient removal with low investment under the dynamic load of the secondary sewage treatment plant.The effluent water qualities meet the classⅠ-A criteria specified in Discharge Standard of Pollutants for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant(GB 18918-2002)and the rest effluent indexes meet the classⅠ-B criteria.Besides,we have above 20% operating cost cut by stopping the internal reflux without power charge increased and any new pool structures built.

Developement of processes for nutrient removal from wastewater

This review focuses on techniques for achieving very low concentration of TN and TP in water.The 1970 Clean Water Act in the US and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive in Europe now provide the benchmark standards for TN and TP levels.Arden and Lockett discovered activated sludge in the 1910’s.Since then,many improvements have been made to the biological treatment process to provide various configurations that have the ability to deliver effluent concentrations between 6-8mg TN/L and 0.5-1.0mg TP/L,without external carbon addition.Typically,however,additional advanced nutrient removal technologies are used in tertiary treatment to meet more stringent effluent quality requirements.One advanced technology that has been successfully implemented in the US is denitrifying filters.For TP removal,tests showed that the BlueP RO and CoM ag systems both reliably met an effluent target as low as 0.04 mg TP/L.However,the establishment of stringent TN and TP effluent limits will dramatically increase the capital and operational costs of wastewater treatment plants.A more promising nutrient capturing process is based on the assimilation of nutrients(both N and P)during heterotrophic growth which uses a carbon source for energy.Laboratory trials of the single step process by Reach Green suggest that concentrations as low as 0.5 mg TN/L and 0.02mg TP/L are readily achievable.

Development of Biofilter Devices for Nutrient Removal From Wastewater

Nutrient pollution still remains one of the greatest challenges to water quality contributing to harmful contaminations water sources,and costly impacts on the economy.This review considers the development of the biofilters,focusing on the design features that have the most influence on their technical and economic performance.Modern biofilters,based on SAF technology,are particularly suitable for sewage treatment works with throughput rates up to 1,000m^3/d.The main advantages of SAF plants include high quality effluent,low power usage and small footprint.A wide range of filter media are available for different designs,which could be configured for both aerobic and anaerobic treatment in BOD and/or ammonia reduction applications.The two most important parameters for filter media are their Specific Surface Area(SSA,m^2/m^3)and Void Fraction(percentage of void volume or porosity).However,due to the risk of clogging by suspended solids or excess sludge the media used for this application should be limited to about 500m^2/m^3.In tertiary treatment or river restoration applications where the influents tend lack any readily biodegradable substrates,SAF design provides the most appropriate choice for further development to produce effluents with very low nutrient levels.

Process Adaption and Modifications of a Nutrient Removing Wastewater Treatment Plant in Sri Lanka Operated at Low Loading Conditions

The Sri Lankan national water authority, that is The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWS&DB) has taken a new wastewater treatment plant into operation at Ja Ela, North of Colombo. The plant has been in operation since September 2011. In April 2012, it was concluded how a test of the aeration efficiency and a performance test should be carried out. The tests have been based on the actual loading of the plant and the analysis results from the daily process control. The evaluation of the aeration efficiency is not reported in this paper. The paper presents the overall performance of the water treatment part of the plant during start-up conditions, from fall 2011 through the first five months of 2012. The results from the operation are found in Table 1. An important circumstance at the plant is the current very low loading in comparison with the design load. This fact has resulted in an introduction of an intermittent mode of the aeration (nitrification) reactor. Based on operation figures, during more than a month (May 2012), it has been possible to give a realistic assessment of the overall performance. The most striking results are summarized as follows: 1) The intermittent operation has enabled an energy efficient operation of the plant. By the introduction of the intermittent aeration, the energy consumption has been reduced by around 75%, compared with the continuous operation mode;2) The plant performance during the intermittent operation has been improved with respect to virtually all important pollution variables. The most striking improvement is the discharge total P level, reflecting that a substantial enhanced biological phosphorus removal takes. The typical discharge levels found during May 2012, were compared with the earlier obtained values. It is important to underline that the loading on the plant has slightly increased during May as compared with the previous operation period.

Fluidized-Bed Bioreactor Applications for Biological Wastewater Treatment： A Review of Research and Developments

Wastewater treatment is a process that is vital to protecting both the environment and human health. At present, the most cost-effective way of treating wastewater is with biological treatment processes such as the activated sludge process, despite their long operating times. However, population increases have created a demand for more efficient means of wastewater treatment, Fluidization has been demonstrated to in- crease the efficiency of many processes in chemical and biochemical engineering, but it has not been widely used in large-scale wastewater treatment. At the University of Western Ontario, the circulating fluidized-bed bioreactor （CFBBR） was developed for treating wastewater. In this process, carrier particles develop a biofilm composed of bacteria and other microbes. The excellent mixing and mass transfer characteristics inherent to fluidization make this process very effective at treating both municipal and industrial wastewater. Studies of lab- and pilot-scale systems showed that the CFBBR can remove over 90% of the influent organic matter and 80% of the nitrogen, and produces less than one-third as much biological sludge as the activated sludge process. Due to its high efficiency, the CFBBR can also be used to treat wastewaters with high organic solid concentrations, which are more difficult to treat with conventional methods because they require longer residence times; the CFBBR can also be used to reduce the system size and footprint. In addition, it is much better at handling and recovering from dynamic loadings （i.e., varying influent volume and concentrations） than current systems. Overall, the CFBBR has been shown to be a very effective means of treating wastewa- ter, and to be capable of treating larger volumes of wastewater using a smaller reactor volume and a shorter residence time. In addition, its compact design holds potential for more geographically localized and isolat- ed wastewater treatment systems.