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(Reference retrieved automatically from SciELO through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Effect of ammonia load on efficiency of nitrogen removal in an SBBR with liquid-phase circulation

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Author(s):
C. S. A. Canto [1] ; S. M. Ratusznei [2] ; J. A. D. Rodrigues [3] ; M. Zaiat [4] ; E. Foresti [5]
Total Authors: 5
Affiliation:
[1] Escola de Engenharia Mauá. Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia - Brasil
[2] Escola de Engenharia Mauá. Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia - Brasil
[3] Escola de Engenharia Mauá. Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia - Brasil
[4] Universidade de São Paulo. Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos. Departamento de Hidráulica e Saneamento - Brasil
[5] Universidade de São Paulo. Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos. Departamento de Hidráulica e Saneamento - Brasil
Total Affiliations: 5
Document type: Journal article
Source: Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering; v. 25, n. 2, p. 275-289, 2008-06-00.
Abstract

The removal of biological nitrogen from a synthetic wastewater with different ammonium nitrogen concentrations (50 and 100 mgN-NH4+/L) by a nitrification and denitrification process using a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) with liquid-phase circulation was studied. The system with a total working volume of 4.6 L (3.7 L in the reactor and 0.9 L in the reservoir) treated 2.1 L of synthetic wastewater in 12-h cycles. As inoculum two types of biomass were used: an anaerobic/anoxic one from an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) and an aerobic one from a prolonged aeration activated sludge system. The system, maintained at 30 ± 1 ºC, operated in batch mode followed by fed-batch mode and was aerated intermittently. During fed-batch operation the reactor was fed with an external carbon source as electron donor in the denitrifying step and with no aeration. When the reactor was fed with 50 mgN-NH4+/L, efficiencies of removal of ammonium nitrogen and total nitrogen from the effluent were 93.8 and 72.2%, respectively, and nitrite, nitrate and organic nitrogen concentrations were 0.07, 6.4 and 0.5 mg/L, respectively. On the other hand, when the influent ammonium nitrogen concentration was 100 mgN-NH4+/L, residual nitrite and nitrate were 0.17 and 20.4, respectively, and no N-Org was found in the effluent. It should be mentioned that residual nitrate remained unaltered at the different C/N ratios used. Consequently, efficiency of total nitrogen removal was reduced to 66.7%, despite efficiency of ammonium nitrogen removal exceeding 90%. These results show the potential of the proposed system in removing ammonium nitrogen from liquid effluents with a moderate ammonium nitrogen concentration. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 01/05489-0 - Development, analysis, improvement, and optimization of anaerobic reactors for wastewater treatment
Grantee:Eugenio Foresti
Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants