Full-scale application of microbial agent on in-situ sludge reduction

The full-scale application of Tx-1, a multifunctional microbial agent, was carried out for 8 months in an anoxic/oxic（A/O） municipal wastewater treatment process. The results show that the Tx-1 dosed system can obtain good effluent characteristics while minimizing sludge production and energy consumption. The total phosphorus（TP） is lower than0. 5 mg/L in effluent without any chemical regent added. The discharged dry sludge per 10 000 m^3 wastewater Dwat decreases from 1. 4 to 0. 5 t. For per cubic meter wastewater, the air supply decreases from 6. 0 to 5. 1 m^3 and the electricity consumption decreases from 0. 412- 0. 425 kW·h to 0. 331 kW·h. The addition of Tx-1 can improve the substrate removal constant and decrease the microorganism growth yield coefficient of activated sludge. At the same time,the structure of the microbial community changes and the biodiversity increases by adding Tx-1. The abundance of polyphosphate accumulating organisms（PAO）, Comamonadaceae and Tetrasphaera, increased. Effective microbial agent is a potential way to combine in-situ sludge minimization with contaminants removal.

Achieving low effluent NO_3-N and TN concentrations in low influent chemical oxygen demand(COD) to total Kjeldahl nitrogen(TKN) ratio without using external carbon source

Two mathematical models were used to optimize the performance of a full-scale biological nutrient removal(BNR) activated treatment plant, a plug-flow bioreactors operated in a 3-stage phoredox process configuration, anaerobic anoxic oxic(A2 /O). The ASM2 d implemented on the platform of WEST2011 software and the Bio Win activated sludge/anaerobic digestion(AS/AD) models were used in this study with the aim of consistently achieving the designed effluent criteria at a low operational cost. Four ASM2 d parameters(the reduction factor for denitrification(η NO3, H), the maximum growth rate of heterotrophs( μ H), the rate constant for stored polyphosphates in PAOs(q pp), and the hydrolysis rate constant(k h)) were adjusted. Whereas three Bio Win parameters(aerobic decay rate(b H), heterotrophic dissolved oxygen(DO) half saturation(K OA), and Y P /acetic) were adjusted. Calibration of the two models was successful; both models have average relative deviations(ARD) less than 10% for all the output variables. Low effluent concentrations of nitrate nitrogen(N-NO3), total nitrogen(TN), and total phosphorus(TP) were achieved in a full-scale BNR treatment plant having low influent chemical oxygen demand(COD) to total Kjeldahl nitrogen(TKN) ratio(COD/TKN). The effluent total nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen concentrations were improved by 50% and energy consumption was reduced by approximately 25%, which was accomplished by converting the two-pass aerobic compartment of the plug-flow bioreactor to anoxic reactors and being operated in an alternating mode. Findings in this work are helpful in improving the operation of wastewater treatment plant while eliminating the cost of external carbon source and reducing energy consumption.

Effect of short-term atrazine addition on the performance of an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process

In this study,an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic(A^(2)O)wastewater treatment process was implemented to treat domestic wastewater with short-term atrazine addition.The results provided an evaluation on the effects of an accidental pollution on the operation of a wastewater treatment plant(WWTP)in relation to Chemical Oxygen Demand(COD)and biological nutrient removal.Domestic wastewater with atrazine addition in 3 continuous days was treated when steady biological nutrient removal was achieved in the A^(2)O process.The concentrations of atrazine were 15,10,and 5 mg%L–1 on days 1,2 and 3,respectively.The results showed that atrazine addition did not affect the removal of COD.The specific NH4þoxidation rate and NO3–reduction rate decreased slightly due to the short-term atrazine addition.However,it did not affect the nitrogen removal due to the high nitrification and denitrification capacity of the system.Total nitrogen(TN)removal was steady,and more than 70%was removed during the period studied.The phosphorus removal rate was not affected by the short-term addition of atrazine under the applied experimental conditions.However,more poly-hydroxy-alkanoate(PHA)was generated and utilized during atrazine addition.The results of the oxygen uptake rate(OUR)showed that the respiration of nitrifiers decreased significantly,while the activity of carbon utilizers had no obvious change with the atrazine addition.Atrazine was not removed with the A^(2)O process,even via absorption by the activated sludge in the process of the short-term addition of atrazine.