Total phosphorus contents currently found in the raw wastewater-Problems and technical solutions for its removal in full-scale wastewater treatment plants

Author(s)

Papp, Luiz Antonio ; Cardinali-Rezende, Juliana ; Judice, Wagner Alves de Souza ; Sanches, Marilia Bixilia ; Araujo, Welington Luiz

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING; v. 196, p. 10-pg., 2023-05-24.

Abstract

The eutrophication of water bodies caused by the release of treated wastewater rich in total phosphorus (TP) is a worldwide problem. In this work a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was developed with an enhanced biological removal of phosphorus (EBPR) process for the TP removal in wastewater, despite high levels in raw effluent. The microbial community involved showed a low number of polyphosphates accumulating organisms (PAOs) and consequently a low TP level biological removal. The use of anaerobic, aerobic and anoxic zones in the WWTP, followed by the flocculation dropped the TP level in the treated wastewater to avoid the eutrophication was the water bodies. This study highlights strategies to improve the phosphorous removal in wastewaters, discussing that the low BOD/TP ratio is associated to the decreasing of PAOs abundance in the WWTPs, which in turn reduce the efficiency of the EBPR technology. Considering this, a complementary treatment was proposed to improve TP removal and avoid the harmful impacts on the receiving water bodies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 21/01503-2 - Evaluation of the effects of glycosaminoglycans on the activity of cysteine protease catatepsin inhibitors
• Grantee: Wagner Alves de Souza Júdice
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/25112-4 - Evaluation of modulators of the activity of proteases involved in pathological processes
• Grantee: Wagner Alves de Souza Júdice
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/02205-1 - Study of kinetic behavior of convertases
• Grantee: Wagner Alves de Souza Júdice
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/24290-6 - Analysis of transcriptional profile from Pseudomonas sp. LFM046 and theirs recombinants producing biopolymer / polyhydroxyalkanoates from glucose based on DNA Microarray and RNA-Seq.
• Grantee: Juliana Cardinali Rezende
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 14/08061-1 - Genomic scale metabolic network reconstruction and improvement of polyhydroxyalkanoates production in Pseudomonas sp. (LFM046)
• Grantee: Juliana Cardinali Rezende
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 17/12510-4 - Endophytic microorganisms and the host plant: genes and metabolites involved in the interaction
• Grantee: Welington Luiz de Araújo
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants