Treatment of anaerobically digested dairy manure in a two-stage biofiltration system

High concentrations of ammonium and phosphate present a challenge to cost-effective treatment of anaerobically digested dairy manure. This study investigated the efficacy of a two-stage biofiltration system for passive treatment of digested dairy manure. The first stage pebble filters were batch loaded. When the slurry-like digested dairy manure was retained on pebble beds, soluble contaminants were removed before liquid infiltrated over 8-17 days. The pebble filters removed 70% of soluble chemical oxygen demand, 71% of soluble biochemical oxygen demand, 75% of ammonium, and 68% of orthophosphate. Nitrogen removal was attributed to the conventional nitrification - denitrification process and novel nitritation - anammox process. Aerobic ammonium oxidizing and anammox bacteria accounted for 25 and 23% of all bacteria, respectively, in the filtrate of the pebble filters. The longer it took for filtration, the greater the removal efficiency of soluble contaminants. The second stage sand filters had removal efficiencies of 17% for soluble chemical oxygen demand, 45% for soluble biochemical oxygen demand, 43% for ammonium, and 16% for orthophosphate during batch operations at a hydraulic retention time of 7 days. Aerobic ammonium oxidation and anammox were primarily responsible for nitrogen removal in the sand filters. Vegetation made an insignificant difference in treatment performance of the sand filters.     

Ultrasonic-assisted cloud point extraction for determination of nickel in water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A novel method for the determination of nickel was established by ultrasonic-assisted cloud point extraction (UA-CPE) prior to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) analysis. The nickel reacted with N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-ethanediamine (BSE) to form hydrophobic chelates, which were extracted into the micelles of alpha-[3,5-dimethyl-1-(2-methylpropyl)hexyl]-omega- poly(oxy-2-ethanediyl) (Tergitol TMN-6). Tergitol TMN-6 was used as green nonionic surfactant. BSE was synthesized and checked by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. The phase diagrams of the binary system, water-surfactant (Tergitol TMN-6), and the ternary systems, water-surfactant-salt, were determined. The effects of experimental conditions including pH of sample solution, concentration of chelating agent and surfactant, ultrasonic power, equilibration temperature and incubation time were evaluated in order to enhance sensitivity of the method. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration graph was linear in the range of 10-500 μg L(-1). The values obtained for the limit of detection and enrichment factor were 1.0 μg L(-1) and 30, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of nickel in water samples.     

A software-based sensor for combined sewer overflows

A new methodology for online estimation of excess flow from combined sewer overflow (CSO) structures based on simulation models is presented. If sufficient flow and water level data from the sewer system is available, no rainfall data are needed to run the model. An inverse rainfall-runoff model was developed to simulate net rainfall based on flow and water level data. Excess flow at all CSO structures in a catchment can then be simulated with a rainfall-runoff model. The method is applied to a case study and results show that the inverse rainfall-runoff model can be used instead of missing rain gauges. Online operation is ensured by software providing an interface to the SCADA-system of the operator and controlling the model. A water quality model could be included to simulate also pollutant concentrations in the excess flow.     

Revealing microbial community structures in large- and small-scale activated sludge systems by barcoded pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene

The diversity of bacterial groups in activated sludge from large- and small-scale wastewater treatment plants was explored by barcoded pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene. Activated sludge samples (three small and 17 large scale) were collected from 12 wastewater treatment plants to clarify precise taxonomy and relative abundances. DNA was extracted, and amplified by 4 base barcoded 27f/519r primer set. The 454 Titanium (Roche) pyrosequences were obtained and analyses performed by Quantitative Insight Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) with around 100,000 reads. Sequence statistics were computed, while constructing a phylogenetic tree and heatmap. Computed results explained total microbial diversity at phylum and class level and resolution was further extended to Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) based taxonomic assignment for investigating community distribution based on individual sample. Composition of sequence reads were compared and microbial community structures for large- and small-scale treatment plants were identified as major phyla (Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes) and classes (Betaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes). Also, family level breakdowns were explained and differences in family Nitrospiraceae and phylum Actinobacteria found at their species level were also illustrated. Thus, the pyrosequencing method provides high resolution insight into microbial community structures in activated sludge that might have been unnoticed with conventional approaches.     

Microbial community characterization of an UASB treating increased organic loading rates of vitamin C biosynthesis wastewater

The microbial community of a mesophilic lab-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating vitamin C biosynthesis wastewater at gradually elevated organic loading rates (OLRs) was characterized using 16S rDNA-based polymerase chain reaction-DGGE (denatured gradient gel electrophoresis) analysis. The DGGE fingerprints suggested that the elevated OLRs did not cause any significant changes in the microbial community. The predominant bacterial bands were affiliated with the Firmicutes (Clostridiales, four bands), Proteobacteria (Deltaproteobacteria, six bands), Bacteroidetes, and Synergistetes, respectively. All the archaeal bands were very similar to already known methanogenic species: Methanobacterium formicicum (two bands), Methanomethylovorans hollandica (one band) and Methanosaeta concilli (two bands), which belonged to the divisions Methanobacteria and Methanomicrobia, respectively.     

Evaluation and thermodynamic calculation of ureolytic magnesium ammonium phosphate precipitation from UASB effluent at pilot scale

The removal of phosphate as magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP, struvite) has gained a lot of attention. A novel approach using ureolytic MAP crystallization (pH increase by means of bacterial ureases) has been tested on the anaerobic effluent of a potato processing company in a pilot plant and compared with NuReSys(?) technology (pH increase by means of NaOH). The pilot plant showed a high phosphate removal efficiency of 83 ± 7%, resulting in a final effluent concentration of 13 ± 7 mg · L(-1) PO(4)-P. Calculating the evolution of the saturation index (SI) as a function of the remaining concentrations of Mg(2+), PO(4)-P and NH(4)(+) during precipitation in a batch reactor, resulted in a good estimation of the effluent PO(4)-P concentration of the pilot plant, operating under continuous mode. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed the presence of struvite in the small single crystals observed during experiments. The operational cost for the ureolytic MAP crystallization treating high phosphate concentrations (e.g. 100 mg · L(-1) PO(4)-P) was calculated as 3.9 € kg(-1) P(removed). This work shows that the ureolytic MAP crystallization, in combination with an autotrophic nitrogen removal process, is competitive with the NuReSys(?) technology in terms of operational cost and removal efficiency but further research is necessary to obtain larger crystals.     

GIS-based applications of sensitivity analysis for sewer models

Sensitivity analysis (SA) evaluates the impact of changes in model parameters on model predictions. Such an analysis is commonly used when developing or applying environmental models to improve the understanding of underlying system behaviours and the impact and interactions of model parameters. The novelty of this paper is a geo-referenced visualization of sensitivity indices for model parameters in a combined sewer model using geographic information system (GIS) software. The result is a collection of maps for each analysis, where sensitivity indices (calculated for model parameters of interest) are illustrated according to a predefined symbology. In this paper, four types of maps (an uncertainty map, calibration map, vulnerability map, and design map) are created for an example case study. This article highlights the advantages and limitations of GIS-based SA of sewer models. The conclusion shows that for all analyzed applications, GIS-based SA is useful for analyzing, discussing and interpreting the model parameter sensitivity and its spatial dimension. The method can lead to a comprehensive view of the sewer system.     

Treatment of paper mill effluent using an anaerobic/aerobic hybrid side-stream membrane bioreactor

This paper presents the design and operational performance data of an anaerobic/aerobic hybrid side-stream Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) process for treating paper mill effluent operated over a 6 month period. The paper mill effluent stream was characterized by a chemical oxygen demand (COD) range of between 1,600 and 4,400 mg/L and an average BOD of 2,400 mg/L. Despite large fluctuations in COD feed concentration, stable process performance was achieved. The anaerobic Expanded Granular Sludge Bed (EGSB) pre-treatment step effectively lowered the organic loading by 65 to 85%, thus lowering the MBR COD feed concentration to consistently below 750 mg/L. The overall MBR COD removal was consistent at an average of 96%, regardless of the effluent COD or changes in the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and organic loading rate (OLR). Combining a high-rate anaerobic pre-treatment EGSB with a Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) MBR process configuration produced a high quality permeate. Preliminary NF and RO results indicated an overall COD removal of around 97 and 98%, respectively.     

Effect of dosing regime on nitrification in a subsurface vertical flow treatment wetland system

In this study, the effect of dosing regime on nitrification in a subsurface vertical flow treatment wetland system was investigated. The experimental unit was composed of four circular concrete tanks (1 m diameter and 80 cm deep), filled with gravel (1-2 cm) and planted with Cyperus alternifolius L. Synthetic wastewater with average chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen of 1,151 and 339 mg/L was fed into each tank. Different feeding and resting periods were applied: continuous flow (tank 1), 4 hrs on and 4 hrs off (tank 2), 1 hr on and 3 hrs off (tank 3) and 15 minutes on and 3 hrs 45 minutes off (tank 4). All four tanks were under the same hydraulic loading rate of 5 cm/day. After 165 days the reduction of total Kjeldahl nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen and the increase of nitrate nitrogen were greatest in tank 4, which had the shortest feeding period, while the continuous flow produced the lowest results. Effluent tanks 2 and 3 experienced similar levels of nitrification, both higher than that of tank 1. Thus supporting the idea that rapid dosing periods provide better aerobic conditions resulting in enhanced nitrification within the bed. Tank 4 had the highest removal rates for COD, and the continuous flow had the lowest. Tank 2 also exhibited a higher COD removal rate than tank 3, demonstrating that short dosing periods provide better within-bed oxidation and therefore offer higher removal efficiency.     

Polyphenols and fatty acids responsible for anti-cyanobacterial allelopathic effects of submerged macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum

Myriophyllum spicatum is known to inhibit the growth of cyanobacteria such as Microcystis aeruginosa by releasing anti-cyanobacterial allelochemicals. The allelochemicals possibly responsible for the inhibition include five polyphenols and three fatty acids, but the extent to which these are indeed responsible for the anti-cyanobacterial effects is unclear. The goal of this research was to determine the contribution of these compounds to the allelopathic effect of M. spicatum on M. aeruginosa. We first collected information on the release rates of these compounds and then added the compounds to a cyanobacterial medium on the basis of their release rates so as to simulate their excretion by M. spicatum. Addition of the polyphenols and fatty acids inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa, and the interaction of the polyphenols and fatty acids was additive. The EC50 of a polyphenol and fatty acid mixture was compared with that of M. spicatum itself as previously determined in a mixed culture system in which M. spicatum and M. aeruginosa were incubated. The former was about 1.9 times higher than that of the latter, the implication being that the inhibitory effect of the polyphenols and fatty acids contributed about 53% of the allelopathic effect of M. spicatum. This paper is the first to describe allelochemicals that account for a half of the anti-cyanobacterial allelopathic effect of a macrophyte.