Embora em alguns países como os europeus, o aterro sanitário como forma de disposição final de Resíduos Sólidos venha perdendo espaço, entre nós essa técnica é ainda largamente empregada. O lixiviado gerado nos aterros sanitários apresenta grande potencial poluidor, devido à presença de matéria orgânica, rica em substâncias húmicas e matéria inorgânica, representada especialmente pelos cloretos, nitrogênio amoniacal, entre outras substâncias. O presente trabalho visou, em linhas gerais, avaliar três proporções de mistura de lixiviado/efluente anaeróbio e as influências sobre o processo aeróbio (lodos ativados) em escala de bancada. Nessa pesquisa foram realizados ensaios de tratabilidade utilizando as proporções de 0% (controle), 2,5%, 10% e 20 % de lixiviado em relação ao efluente anaeróbio em diferentes condições experimentais. Os resultados mostraram que as proporções de 10% e 20% de lixiviado nas condições experimentais foram prejudiciais ao sistema aeróbio de tratamento. Foram obtidos os melhores resultados em termos de eficiência de remoção de matéria orgânica e nitrogênio amoniacal no reator alimentado com a proporção de 2,5% de lixiviado bruto, alcançando eficiência de remoção de DQO e nitrogênio amoniacal total (NAT) de 57% e 100%, respectivamente. / The use of landfill as a disposal of solid waste has been avoided in some countries, especially in Europe. Nevertheless this technique is still widely used in Brazil. Leachate generated in landfills has great potential as pollutant due to presence of organic matter, humic substances in high concentrations and inorganic matter such as chlorides and ammonia nitrogen. This study aims to broadly assess effects of three levels of mixing of leachate/anaerobic effluent on aerobic process (activated sludge) in bench scale. Treatability tests were performed using proportions of 0% (control), 2.5%, 10% and 20% leachate added to anaerobic effluent under different experimental conditions. Results showed that proportions of 10% and 20% of leached were unfavorable to aerobic system treatment. The higher removal efficiency of organic matter and ammonia nitrogen was obtained in reactor fed with 2.5% of leachate (removal efficiency of COD and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) were 57% and 100%, respectively).

Um reator de leito fixo, preenchido com biomassa imobilizada em espuma de poliuretano, foi operado em bateladas seqüenciais, alimentado com substrato sintético com concentração de nitrogênio amoniacal de 125, 250, 500 e 40 mg/L. O principal objetivo da pesquisa foi verificar a possibilidade de se promover a nitrificação curta no reator submetido à aeração intermitente, com a formação de nitrito como principal composto intermediário, seguida da desnitrificação. Para concentração de nitrogênio amoniacal de 125 e 250 mg/L o perfil temporal das concentrações de nitrogênio monitoradas evidenciou que tempo de ciclo de 24 horas foi excessivo. Durante a operação do reator submetido à concentração de nitrogênio amoniacal de 500 mg/L e de 40 mg/L, ficou evidente a influência do modo de operação, quanto à concentração de oxigênio e extensão dos períodos aeróbios e anóxicos, no tempo de ciclo necessário. Para todas as concentrações de nitrogênio amoniacal estudadas a duração do período de aeração foi suficiente para nitrificar uma fração do N-amoniacal afluente, de modo que as concentrações de nitrito e ácido nitroso não atingissem níveis tóxicos ao processo de oxidação de N-amoniacal. Ao longo do período de operação, o nitrogênio na forma de nitrito tornou-se a forma oxidada predominante e foi possível manter este acúmulo de nitrito em todas as etapas de operação do reator, mesmo alterando a concentração de oxigênio dissolvido, prolongando o período de aeração e, reduzindo a concentração de amônia livre. Constatou-se, portanto, ser possível obter-se processo estável de remoção de nitrogênio em reator operado em bateladas seqüenciais, submetido a etapas de aeração e não aeração em um mesmo ciclo. Esse modo de operação permitiu o estabelecimento do processo de nitrificação parcial a nitrito nas etapas aeradas e desnitrificação nas etapas anóxicas / A bench-scale sequencing batch reactor filled with polyurethane foam matrices was fed with synthetic substrate containing different influent ammonium nitrogen concentrations (120, 250, 500 and 40 mg/L) and subjected to different operating conditions. The main objective was to verify the possibility off promoting short nitrification in the reactor operated under intermittent aeration to obtain nitrite as the main intermediate compound to be denitrified during the anoxic periods. The profiles of the monitored nitrogen species along the cycles allowed verifying that the time cycle of 24 hours was excessive for ammonium nitrogen concentrations of 125 and 250 mg/L. The influence of the operating parameters relative to the dissolved oxygen concentration and extension of aerobic and anoxic periods on the cycle time was evident during the operation at ammonium nitrogen concentrations of 500 and 40 mg/L. The duration of the aeration periods was long enough to allow a fraction of the influent ammonium to be nitrified for all the ammonium nitrogen concentrations studied. The concentrations of nitrite and nitrous acid have never reached the toxic levels to affect ammonia oxidation. Nitrite was the predominant form of oxidized nitrogen along all the operating periods. Nitrite accumulation occurred during all the stages of reactor operation, even when the reactor was subjected to different dissolved oxygen concentrations, length of aeration period and free ammonia concentration. Therefore, stable process of nitrogen removal was achieved in the sequencing batch reactor containing immobilized biomass subjected to a wide range of ammonium nitrogen concentrations. The operation way consisting of intermittent aeration followed by non aeration periods in the same cycle allowed the establishment of the process of partial nitrification to nitrite in the aerated steps followed by denitrification in the anoxic steps

A remoção de nitrogênio é um aspecto importante do tratamento de águas residuárias, visto que este nutriente causa diversos inconvenientes, com consequentes danos à saúde humana e ao meio ambiente. A forma mais utilizada para a remoção biológica de nitrogênio de águas residuárias é a nitrificação autotrófica seguida de desnitrificação heterotrófica. Esta última etapa necessita de doadores de elétrons orgânicos, provenientes de fontes endógenas ou exógenas. Isto pode encarecer os sistemas de tratamento que utilizam reatores anaeróbios como primeira unidade de tratamento biológico, já que os efluentes destes não possuem matéria orgânica prontamente degradável, exigindo a adição de fontes exógenas de doadores de elétrons. Neste sentido, a desnitrificação autotrófica usando compostos reduzidos de enxofre como doadores de elétrons mostra-se interessante, já que sulfetos são comumente encontrados em efluentes anaeróbios. O objetivo deste projeto de pesquisa é a avaliação da desnitrificação autotrófica usando sulfeto como doador de elétrons para remoção de nitrogênio de efluentes de reatores anaeróbios tratando esgoto sanitário. Para atingir esse objetivo, foram realizados estudos exploratórios, de viabilidade e aplicabilidade do processo. Na primeira etapa, foram operados reatores em batelada para caracterização cinética, operacional e microbiológica do processo. Na segunda etapa, utilizou-se sistema de reatores contínuos em escala de bancada para remoção de nitrogênio de esgoto sanitário sintético. Por fim, na terceira etapa foi operado sistema piloto com nova configuração para tratamento secundário e terciário de esgoto sanitário real. A ocorrência da desnitrificação autotrófica foi detectada nas duas primeiras etapas, e houve indícios de sua presença na terceira etapa da pesquisa. Na primeira etapa, nitrato e nitrito foram aplicados com sucesso como receptores de elétrons, e o processo manteve-se estável apenas quando a relação \'NO IND.X\'POT.-\'/\'S POT.2-\' apresentou valores menores do que a estequiométrica. Modelos cinéticos de ordem zero foram os que melhor se ajustaram aos dados de consumo dos receptores de elétrons, e os parâmetro máximos obtidos foram 7,05 e 5,02 mg N/h.gSSV, para nitrato e nitrito respectivamente. Análises filogenéticas revelaram a presença de organismos semelhantes a Thiobacillus denitrificans, bactéria desnitrificante quimiolitotrófica usualmente associada ao processo. Na segunda e terceira etapas, foi possível a remoção global de nitrogênio de, em média, 40% apenas com doadores de elétrons endógenos, através da nitrificação de 40 a 60% da vazão total e posterior mistura com a fração não-nitrificada. A perda de sulfeto nos reservatórios intermediários do sistema de reatores da segunda etapa foi considerada um obstáculo ao processo, que foi solucionado com a nova configuração proposta na terceira etapa e aplicada em escala piloto. Embora a gama variada de processos possíveis em seu interior não tenha sido completamente elucidada, o sistema piloto promoveu tratamento secundário e terciário de esgoto sanitário, com remoção de nitrogênio e atendimento aos padrões de emissão deste parâmetro. Os resultados obtidos na pesquisa mostraram que o processo é versátil e pode coexistir com outros processos, apresentando viabilidade e potencial no tratamento de efluentes de reatores anaeróbios utilizados no tratamento de esgotos sanitários. / Nitrogen removal is an important aspect of wastewater treatment, for this nutrient causes several issues, with damages to human health and to the environment. The most used technique for biological nitrogen removal from wastewaters is autotrophic nitrification followed by heterotrophic denitrification. The latter needs organic electron donors from endogenous or exogenous sources, which can increase treatment costs for plants that rely on anaerobic reactors as their first biological unit, since their effluents do not have enough readily biodegradable organic matter, demanding the addition of exogenous sources of electron donors. In this way, autotrophic denitrification using reduced sulfur compounds as electron donors could be an interesting alternative, for sulfides are usually present in anaerobically pre-treated effluents. The aim of this research is to evaluate autotrophic denitrification using sulfide as electron donor for nitrogen removal from anaerobically pre-treated domestic sewage. For this, exploratory, viability and applicability studies of the process were performed. In the first part of the experiments, batch assays were conducted for kinetic, operational and microbiological characterization of the process. In the second part, a bench-scale system composed of three continuous reactors was used to remove nitrogen from synthetic domestic sewage. And, finally, in the third part a pilot-scale system presenting a new configuration was operated for secondary and tertiary treatment of real domestic sewage. Autotrophic denitrification was detected in the first two parts, and there were evidences of its presence in the third part of the research. In the first part, nitrate and nitrite were applied successfully as electron acceptors, and the process remained stable only when the \'NO IND.X\'POT.-\'/\'S POT.2-\' ratio was lower than the predicted by stoichiometry. Zero-order kinetic models were the ones that best adjusted to the electron acceptors consumption data, and the maximum obtained parameters were 7.05 and 5.02 mg N/h.gVSS, for nitrate and nitrite respectively. Phylogenetic analyses indicated the presence of organisms similar to Thiobacillus denitrificans, a chemolithotrophic denitrifying bacterium usually associated to the process. In the second and third parts, an average global nitrogen removal of 40% could be achieved using endogenous electron donors only, by nitrifying 40 to 60% of the total flow and later mixing it with the remaining non-nitrified fraction. Sulfide loss in the intermediary tanks of the reactors system operated in the second part was considered an obstacle to the process, which was solved with the new pilot-scale configuration proposed in the third part of the research. Although the wide range of possible processes in its interior was not fully understood, the pilot-scale system promoted secondary and tertiary treatment of domestic sewage, removing nitrogen and obeying the emission standards for this parameter. The results obtained in this research indicated that the process is versatile and can coexist with other processes, being thus viable and presenting potential in the treatment of anaerobically pre-treated domestic sewage.

The purpose of this research is to hydraulically characterize an engineered wetland in Albany, Oregon. The wetland receives treated wastewater from both Albany Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility (AMWRF) and ATI Wah Chang. AMWRF's water is municipal waste water. ATI Wah Chang's water comes from its nearby metal processing plant. The wetland is designed to remove thermal input as well as nitrogen species from both sources. ATI Wah Chang effluent has significant nitrate concentrations. A reliable model is needed to estimate the denitrification potential of the wetland. In order to construct a model, accurate hydraulic parameters such as residence time and flow rate are needed. In the first few days after ATI started flow, the aquatic conductivity level of the wetland increased significantly. Conductivity was used as a tracer to estimate residence times in the wetland as well as to measure the split ratios from different water sources in the wetland (ATI Wah Chang and AMWRF). A pilot test on conductivity and flow rate was carried out on a single pond. The pilot test was designed to accurately measure the influent and effluent from a single pond. Using this information, rates of infiltration as well as unintended flow paths could be identified. A third tracer test was performed using Rhodamine W.T. This test allowed for the determination of the residence time of each pond, the wetland as a whole, and identified stagnant zones within the ponds. To simulate the nitrogen transportation and transformation process, a numerical model was developed. The model's input parameters include reaction rate constants for nitrification and denitrification, volume of each pond, flow rate, flow path connections, and temperature. The model simulated the tracer test that was performed on the wetland to verify its accuracy. The model is also capable of predicting denitrification potential in both pilot scale and field scale. It is also temperature sensitive because temperatures vary significantly; for instance, in winter when the average temperature in Albany is <5��C, denitrification rates decrease significantly. Through this research, hydraulic characterization as well as current denitrification rates in the wetland were identified. Strategies for increasing the denitrification rate were also identified through this research. / Graduation date: 2012

The euthropthication of the Baltic Sea is a threat that is beginning to be taken seriously by the governments concerned. In Sweden, regulations concerning the allowed nitrogen (N) concentration in the effluent water from wastewater treatment plants are being tightened up. The Rimbo wastewater treatment plant has been imposed to reduce the annual mean concentration of total N in the effluent water to levels below 15 mg l-1. A more and more common way to reduce the nitrogen level in wastewater is to let the water pass through a wetland. This study investigates the possibility to build this kind of wetland at the outlet of the Rimbo wastewater treatment plant. A prestudy of the topography, soil characteristics and groundwater flow indicates that the land area in question is well suited for the construction of a wetland. A proposal for the design has been made by using a physically based computer model developed in the PRIMROSE project (PRocess based Integrated Management of constructed and Riverine wetlands for Optimal control of wastewater at catchment ScalE), which is financed by the EU. Analysis of the residence time distribution (RTD) is a tool for understanding wetland design characteristics and can be used for wetland engineering such as optimizing design for best possibleefficiency in nitrogen removal. In order to characterize the performance of a wetland, it is useful to translate the RTD to a key figure representing the treatment efficiency. In this work, two types of such key figures have been used. Key figure 1 gives the hydraulic efficiency and Key figure 2 gives an estimation of the nitrogen retention by an integration of hydraulic characteristics and the chemical transformation of nitrogen. The results of this study show that constructing a wetland in Rimbo probably would be an efficient way to reduce the nitrogen level at the effluent of the wastewater plant below the limits of the regulations. In addition, a wetland would form a nice place of recreation for the people in Rimbo and also make a good habitat for birds. / Övergödningen i Östersjön är ett problem som uppmärksammas alltmer. Ett led i att minska kvävebelastningen på Östersjön är ökade krav på rening i de svenska kommunala reningsverken. Rimbo avloppsreningsanläggning har blivit ålagd ett riktvärde för totalkväve på 15 mg l-1 i utgående vatten, vilket motsvarar en reningsgrad som inte uppnås idag. Ett alltmer vanligt sätt att minska föroreningshalterna är att anlägga våtmarker i anslutning till reningsverken för att efterpolera spillvattnet. Det här arbetet är en del av en förstudie till en sådan våtmark i Rimbo. En förundersökning av topografi, jordart och grundvattenflöden indikerar att det område som föreslagits i anslutning till reningsverket i Rimbo lämpar sig väl för ett våtmarksbygge. Förslag till utformning har tagits fram med hjälp av en fysikaliskt baserad modell över vattenströmning, utvecklad inom det EU-finansierade projektet PRIMROSE (PRocess based Integrated Management of constructed and Riverine wetlands for Optimal control of wastewater at catchment ScalE). Analys av vattnets uppehållstidsfördelning ger förståelse för våtmarkens egenskaper och kan därför användas vid t ex optimering av våtmarksdesign med avseende på kväverening. För att på ett enkelt sätt kunna jämföra olika våtmarkers effektivitet är det praktiskt att översätta uppehållstidsfördelningen till ett nyckeltal för reningseffekten. I det här arbetet har två olika sådana nyckeltal beräknats. Det första ger den hydrauliska effektiviteten och det andra bygger på en metod där våtmarkens interna hydraulik integreras med den kemiska omvandlingen av kväve. Nyckeltal 1 ger ett mått på hur stor del av volymen i våtmarken som används för kväverening, medan Nyckeltal 2 ger ett mått på den procentuella kväveavskiljningen. Den här förstudien visar att en våtmark sannolikt skulle vara ett utmärkt sätt att klara riktvärdet för kvävehalten vid reningsverket i Rimbo. Därutöver skulle en våtmark kunna utgöra ett positivt inslag i landskapet och öka den biologiska mångfalden, inte minst vad gäller fågelliv.

Biological nitrogen removal was simulated for a Vacuum Rotating Membrane (VRM) type membrane bioreactor (MBR) operated in METU campus. In order to simulate the biological MBR plant, a dynamic model that describes the process is needed. In this thesis, the Activated Sludge Model No.1 (ASM1), which still is the most widely used model developed by the International Association on Water Quality (IAWQ), has been used to simulate the carbon oxidation, nitrification and denitrification processes occurring in the plant using AQUASIM software package. Once the model was established, sensitivities of the model parameters were analyzed. Then, parameter estimation was carried out for the optimization of the sensitive parameters. As we have several distinct data sets available two parallel modeling study was carried out for the calibration of the model. Finally, the calibrated model by different data sets was validated by using the remaining data sets. The model results were consistent with the measured data especially in terms of MLSS concentration in the system. However model results for the nitrogen removal were not extremely successful / the reason for this might be the inadequate available data on nitrification-denitrification process occurring in the system.

Many control systems of practical importance are multivariable. In such systems, each manipulated variable (input signal) may affect several controlled variables (output signals) causing interaction between the input/output loops. For this reason, control of multivariable systems is typically much more difficult compared to the single-input single-output case. It is therefore of great importance to quantify the degree of interaction so that proper input/output pairings that minimize the impact of the interaction can be formed. For this, dedicated interaction measures can be used. The first part of this thesis treats interaction measures. The commonly used Relative Gain Array (RGA) is compared with the Gramian-based interaction measures the Hankel Interaction Index Array (HIIA) and the Participation Matrix (PM) which consider controllability and observability to quantify the impact each input signal has on each output signal. A similar measure based on the <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?%5Cmathcal%20H_2" /> norm is also investigated. Further, bounds on the uncertainty of the HIIA and the PM in case of uncertain models are derived. It is also shown how the link between the PM and the Nyquist diagram can be utilized to numerically calculate such bounds. Input/output pairing strategies based on linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control are also suggested. The key idea is to design single-input single-output LQG controllers for each input/output pair and thereafter form closed-loop multivariable systems for each control configuration of interest. The performances of these are compared in terms of output variance. In the second part of the thesis, the activated sludge process, commonly found in the biological wastewater treatment step for nitrogen removal, is considered. Multivariable interactions present in this type of bioreactor are analysed with the tools discussed in the first part of the thesis. Furthermore, cost-efficient operation of the activated sludge process is investigated.

This doctoral dissertation was produced in a cooperation between Halmstad University (Wetland Research Centre, School of Business and Engineering) and Lund University (Limnology &amp; Marine Biology, Department of Ecology). Abstract . Wetland creation at large, regional scales is implemented as a measure to abate the biodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes and the eutrophication of watersheds and coastal areas by non-point source nutrient pollution (mainly nitrogen). The consequences of creating many new wetlands for biodiversity conservation and nutrient reten- tion (ecosystem functioning) in agricultural landscapes are still relatively unknown, both on local (per wetland) and regional (per landscape) scales. In Sweden, wetland creation has progressed already since the 1990s, and by now larger numbers of created wetlands are present, mainly in the intensively farmed landscapes of southwestern Sweden. This thesis aimed to investigate the following aspects in these systems: (i) their large-scale effects on biodiversity, (ii) their functional diversity of bacterial denitrifiers, (iii) the abiotic and biotic influences on wetland ecosystem functioning, (iv) the potential for biodiversity-function links, and (v) the potential for functional links and joint functioning.(i) Created wetlands hosted diverse assemblages of macroinvertebrates and plants. They maintained a similar com- position and diversity as natural ponds in agricultural landscapes. The environmental conditions per wetland did hardly affect macroinvertebrate and plant assemblages, and the prerequisites for nutrient retention did neither. In landscapes were wetland creation efforts had increased the total density of small water bodies by more than 30%, macroinver- tebrate diversity of created wetlands was facilitated on both local and regional scales. (ii) Diverse communities of denitrifying bacteria with the capacity for conducting different denitrification steps (functional types) were present in all investigated wetlands. The richness of denitrifying bacteria communities was affected by nitrate concentration and hydraulic loading rate, which may potentially be relevant for the nitrogen retention function of created wetlands. The diversity across different functional types of bacterial denitrifiers increased with nitrate concentration. (iii) Both abiotic and biotic factors influenced ecosystem functions of created wetlands. Variation in nitrogen retention was associated to nitrate load, but even to vegetation parameters. In wetlands with constant nitrate load, planted emergent vegetation facilitated nitrogen retention compared to other vegetation types. In wetlands with variable loads, nitrogen retention was facilitated if nitrate load was high and many different vegetation types were present; nitrogen load could explain the majority of the variation in nitrogen retention compared to vegetation parameters. Phosporus retention of created wetlands was best explained by vegetation parameters. Litter decomposition was inhibited at high nitrate to phosphorus ratios. Methane production increased with age and decreased with plant cover. (iv) Biodiversity may facilitate wetland ecosystem functions, particularly in dynamic wetland ecosystems. Nitrogen retention increased with vegetation type diversity, phosphorus retention capacity with plant richness, and litter decomposition with macroinvertebrate diversity. (v) Created wetlands have the capacity of sustaining several parallel ecosystem services. Some wetland functions were coupled; nitrogen retention increased with fast litter decomposition. On the other hand, methane emission and nitro- gen retention were independent of each other, as were nitrogen and phosphorus retention.In conclusion, created wetlands have the potential to at least partly abate the lost biodiversity and multifunctionality caused by the past extensive destruction of natural wetlands in agricultural landscapes. / <p>[Paper II] Milenkovski S., Thiere G., Weisner S.E.B., Berglund O. &amp; Lindgren P.-E. Variation of eubacterial and denitrifying bacterial biofilm communities among constructed wetlands. Submitted manuscript. [Paper V] Thiere G. &amp; Weisner S.E.B. Influence of biotic and abiotic parameters on ecosystem functioning of created wetlands. Manuscript.</p>

The aeration process is often the single largest consumer of electricity in a wastewater treatment plant. Aeration in biological reactors provides microorganisms with oxygen which is required to convert ammonium to nitrate. Ammonium is toxic for aqueous ecosystems and contributes to eutrophication. The importance of aeration for the treatment results in combination with the high costs motivates automatic control of the aeration process. This thesis is devoted to ammonium feedback control in municipal wastewater treatment plants. With ammonium feedback control, the aeration intensity is changed based on a measurement of the outlet ammonium concentration. The main focus of the thesis is design, implementation, evaluation and improvement of ammonium PI (proportional-integral) controllers. The benefits of ammonium feedback control are established through long-term experiments at three large wastewater treatment plants in Stockholm, Sweden. With ammonium feedback control, energy savings up to around 10 % were achieved compared to keeping the dissolved oxygen concentration constant. The experiments generated several lessons learned with regard to implementation and evaluation of controllers in full-scale operation. The thesis has established guidelines on how to design ammonium feedback controllers for situations when cost-effective operation is the overall aim. Simulations have demonstrated the importance to limit the dissolved oxygen concentration in the process and under what conditions the energy saving with ammonium feedback control is large. The final part of the thesis treats improvements of ammonium PI control through minor modifications to the control structure or controller. Three strategies were studied: gain scheduling control, repetitive control, and a strategy reacting to oxygen peaks in the last aerobic zone. The strategies all had their benefits but the ammonium feedback controller was the key factor to improved aeration control.

A presente pesquisa teve, por principal objetivo, avaliar a viabilidade da desnitrificação autotrófica, empregando sulfeto como doador de elétrons, aplicada a efluentes de reatores anaeróbios tratando esgoto sanitário. Estudos anteriores indicam que o sulfeto presente na fase líquida de efluentes e no biogás pode ser utilizado como doador de elétrons para a desnitrificação. Porém, há poucas informações sobre as interações entre os ciclos do carbono, nitrogênio e enxofre neste processo que permitam a utilização prática dos fundamentos já conhecidos sobre a desnitrificação na presença de sulfeto. Neste trabalho, realizaram-se ensaios de desnitrificação na presença de sulfeto, a fim de se avaliar o potencial de uso desse composto como doador de elétrons. Inicialmente, foram utilizados frascos de 1 L contendo biomassa imobilizada em espuma de poliuretano, alimentados com meio sintético nitrificado contendo sulfeto como doador e nitrito e nitrato como receptores de elétrons. Variou-se a concentração de sulfeto, obtendo-se diferentes relações N/S. Constatou-se desnitrificação completa de ambos os receptores estudados; entretanto, isto só ocorreu com estabilidade para relações N/S inferiores à relação estequiométrica baseada nas reações químicas correspondentes, isto é, quando foi aplicado sulfeto em excesso. Os resultados mostraram que a oxidação total ou parcial dos compostos de enxofre no processo depende da relação N/S, e a velocidade de consumo de nitrato foi maior que a de nitrito. Posteriormente, realizaram-se novos ensaios semelhantes ao anterior, porém, a alimentação consistiu na mistura do efluente sintético nitrificado a efluente de reator anaeróbio tratando água residuária de abatedouro de aves, e o único receptor de elétrons aplicado foi nitrato. Neste caso, foi constatada desnitrificação completa na relação N/S correspondente à estequiometria relativa a sulfeto e nitrato. A cinética de remoção de nitrogênio seguiu modelo de decaimento exponencial de primeira ordem; entretanto, houve limitação à transferência de massa intraparticular e na fase líquida, fato que caracterizou os modelos ajustados como sendo de primeira ordem. As velocidades específicas aparentes obtidas na primeira fase foram próximas de 15 mgN/gSSV.h, tanto com a aplicação de nitrato, quanto de nitrito como receptores de elétrons. Na segunda fase, a máxima velocidade específica aparente de remoção de nitrato foi da ordem de 6 mgN/gSSV.h. / The feasibility of autotrophic denitrification of effluent from anaerobic reactor treating domestic sewage using sulfide as electron donor was evaluated. Prior researches reveals sulfide into liquid phase of effluents and biogas can be utilized as electron donor for denitrification. However, information about the interaction between carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycles in this process are few to permit practice utilization of known fundamentals about denitrification in presence of sulfide. In this work, laboratory tests of denitrification in the presence of sulfide were carried out to evaluate potential employ of this compound as electron donor. Initially, 1 L flasks with immobilized biomass in polyurethane foam was fed with synthetic nitrified wastewater containing sulfide as donor and nitrite e nitrate as electron acceptors. Sulfide concentration was diversified to obtain different N/S ratios. Complete denitrification occurred with nitrate and nitrite; nevertheless, it was observed in a stable way only for N/S ratios smaller than stoichiometric rate based in the corresponding chemistry reactions, that is, when applied excess of sulfide. The results showed that total or partial sulfur compounds oxidation depends on N/S ratio and the nitrate removal rate was bigger than nitrite removal rate. Afterward, new assays were carried out in the same way. However, the flasks were fed with synthetic nitrified wastewater mixed to effluent from anaerobic reactor treating bird slaughterhouse wastewater, and nitrate was the only electron acceptor applied. In this case, complete denitrification was evidenced for stoichiometric N/S ratio relating to sulfide and nitrate. Nitrogen removal kinetic followed exponential decay model of first order; however, this behavior was due to mass transfer limitation in the liquid phase and intraparticular. Apparent specific rates of nitrogen removal found in the first phase were nearby 15 mgN/gSSV.h, with nitrate as well as nitrite application. In the second phase, maxima apparent specific rate of nitrogen removal in nitrate form was about 6 mgN/gSSV.h.