Anaerobic filter combined with submerged aerated biofilter: sludge production, denitrification and removal of pathogens

• Grant number: 11/21878-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2012
• End date: January 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Edson Aparecido Abdul Nour
• Grantee: Edson Aparecido Abdul Nour
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the performance of an pilot-scale anaerobic-aerobic system, provided with hospital sewage, consisted of anaerobic fixed bed reactor (AFBR) followed by biological aerated filter (BAF). Effluent recirculation will be adopted with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 ratios, seeking denitrification. The steps will be as following: forming active biomass and establishing the dynamic equilibrium in the AFBR (step 1); evaluating ammonia toxicity to organisms involved in the nitrification process along the support medium height (step 2); promoting denitrification using volatile organic acids present in the anaerobic reactor as carbon source (step 3) and adjust the aeration to maintain steady state with the least possible oxygen consumption (step 4). Alongside these steps, effluent system toxicity will be assessed for ecotoxicological quality indicator organisms. Preliminary results in bench scale systems have been indicating that set up and operation proposals are adequate to meet the needs of operational robustness and organic carbon and nitrogen removal efficiencies. Evaluating the concentration gradients of nitrification intermediate compounds and the stratification of the involved oxidizing microorganisms is likely to clarify the process of nitrification inhibition in small height support medium reactors. Increasing recirculation reduces C/N ratio in BAF, optimizing ammonia oxidation by regulating substrate competition between autotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria, and increases nitrate conversion rate in the AFBR. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

YAMASHIRO, SANDRA; RODRIGUES FOCO, MARIO LUIZ; PINEDA, CAROLINA ORTIZ; JOSE, JULIANA; ABDUL NOUR, EDSON APARECIDO; VIDAL SIQUEIRA-CASTRO, ISABEL CRISTINA; BUENO FRANCO, REGINA MAURA. Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. removal efficiency of a combined fixed-film system treating domestic wastewater receiving hospital effluent. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 26, n. 22, p. 22756-22771, AUG 2019. (11/21878-9)