The legal requirements for wastewater discharge into environment, especially to zones exposed to eutrophication, lately became stricter. Nowadays wastewater treatment plants have to manage with the new rules and assure better biogenic elements’ removal, in comparison with the past. There are some well-known methods of diminishing concentrations of these compounds, but they are ineffective in case of nitrogen-rich streams, as landfill leachate or reject waters from dewatering of digested sludge. This wastewater disturbs conventional processes of nitrification-denitrification and raise necessity of building bigger tanks. The partial nitritation followed by Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation (Anammox) process appear to be an excellent alternative for traditional nitrification/denitrification. The process was investigated in three different reactors – Membrane Bioreactor (MBR), Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) and Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC). The process was evaluated in two options: as a two-stage process performed in two separate reactors and as a one-stage process. The two-step process, in spite of very low nitrogen removal rates, assured very high nitrogen removal efficiency, exceeding even 90% in case of the MBBR. However, obtained results revealed that the one-step system is a better option than the two-step system, no matter, what kind of nitrogen-rich stream is taken into consideration. Moreover, the one-step process was much less complicated in operation. Performed research confirmed a hypothesis, that the oxygen concentration in the bulk liquid and the nitrite production rate are the limiting factors for the Anammox reaction in a single reactor. In order to make a quick and simple determination of bacteria activity, the Oxygen Uptake Rate (OUR) tests were shown as an excellent tool for evaluation of the current bacteria activity reliably, and without a need of using expensive reagents. It was also shown, that partial nitritation/Anammox process, could be successfully applied at temperatures much lower than the optimum value. Performed Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) analyses, proved that the Anammox bacteria were mainly responsible for the nitrogen removal process. / QC 20100707

I och med övergödningsproblematiken i Östersjön och Sveriges åtaganden i samband med Baltic Sea Action Plan kommer det i framtiden ställas högre krav på rening av kväve från de större avloppsreningsverken i Sverige. Anammox är processen där ammonium oxideras till kvävgas med nitrit som elektonacceptor. Anammox har under den senare tiden implementerats för rejektvattenbehandling i avloppsreningsverk runt om i världen.  När anammox används för att rena ammonium krävs att ca hälften av inkommande ammonium oxideras till nitrit genom nitritation. Detta steg utförs av ammoniakoxiderande bakterier (AOB) vilka kräver en aerob miljö. Den kombinerade processen med anammox och nitritation kallas deammonifikation. På Sjölunda avloppsreningsverk i Malmö har en pilotstudie, i sammarbete med VA-teknik på Lunds Tekniska Högskola, startats för att undersöka potentialen i att implementera deammonifikation i huvudströmmen på reningsverket. Detta examensarbete har syftat till att utarbeta metoder för aktivitetstest av anammox och AOB på bärarmaterial från pilotanläggningen. Med de utarbetade metoderna studerades sedan anammoxbakteriernas aktivitet vid förändrad temperatur. Eftersom anammox producerar kvävgas kunde en metod som baseras på tryckmätning utarbetas för att bestämma anammoxaktiviteten. Metoden visade sig vara tidseffektiv och enkel att utföra. I examensarbetet framkom resultat som visar på att anammox­aktiviteten är beroende av startkoncentrationen av nitrit vid startkoncentrationer under 75 milligram kväve per liter (mg N/l). Beroendet följer av diffusionsbegränsningar i biofilmen vid lägre koncentrationer. Vid startkoncentrationer i intervallet 75-150 mg N/l var aktiviteten oberoende av startkoncentrationen. Vid koncentrationer över 150 mg N/l konstaterades en aktivitetsminskning som troligtvis beror på nitritinhibering. Metoden som arbetades fram för aktivitetstest av AOB baserades på att mäta syrerespirationen innan och efter tillsats av ammonium i en alternerande syresatt reaktor. I metoden skulle en inhibitor för nitritoxiderande bakterier, NaClO3, tillsättas vid slutet av försöket för att säkerställa att dessa bakterier inte konsumerar syre och därmed påverkar resultatet. Vid tillsats av inhibitorn uppstod en orimligt stor aktivitetsförlust som tyder på att denna även inhiberar AOB.  Anammoxaktivitetens temperaturberoende analyserades genom aktivitetsmätning vid fyra temperaturer, i intervallet 11,1-24,9 °C. Försöken visade att förhållandet var exponentiellt och att vid en temperatursänkning från 24,9 °C till 11,1 °C förloras 93 % av aktiviteten. / Given the problem with eutrophication in the Baltic Sea and Sweden's obligations in the Baltic Sea Action Plan, a higher requirement on the removal of nitrogen from the major wastewater treatment plants is expected to be set in the future. Anammox is the process where ammonium is oxidized to nitrogen gas with nitrite as electron acceptor. Anammox has been implemented for treatment of the sludge liquor in wastewater treatment plants around the world. When anammox is used to reduce ammonium, the process requires about half the incoming ammonium to be oxidized into nitrite. This is conducted by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) that require an aerobic environment. The combined process with anammox and nitritation is called deammonification. A pilot study is taking place at Sjölunda Wastewater Treatment Plant in Malmö in collaboration with Water and Environmental Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University. The aim of the pilot study is to explore the potential of implementing deammonification in the main stream at the wastewater treatment plant. The aim of this Master Theisis is to develop methods for activity tests of Anammox and AOB on carrier material. The elaborated methods were then supposed to be used to study the change in activity with decreasing temperature.  Since anammox produces nitrogen gas a method based on pressure measurements was developed to determine the anammox activity. The results in this thesis showed that the anammox activity was dependent of the initial concentration of nitrite at concentrations below 75 mg N / L. This dependence is a result of the limitations of the diffusion in the biofilm at low concentrations. When the initial concentration of nitrite was within the range of 75 to 150 mg N / L the activity was independent of the initial concentration. At concentrations above 150 mg N / L there was a decrease in activity which probably occurred as a result of nitrite inhibition. To determine the activity of AOB a method based on the oxygen consumption rate was developed. The aeration switched between being turned on and off every five minutes and after some rounds of aereation, ammonium was added. The AOB activity was determined by calculating the difference between the oxygen consumption before and after the addition of ammonium. To ensure that nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were not consuming any oxygen, NaClO3 was added at the end of the experiment. The resulting decrease in activity was too excessive to only represent the activity loss from only NOB which may suggest that NaClO3 also inhibits AOB. The temperature dependence of anammox activity was analyzed in activity tests at four temperatures in the range of 11.1 to 24.0°C. The experiments concluded that the relationship was exponential and by a drop in temperature from 24.9 ° C to 11.1 °C 93% of the activity was lost.

This study was made as a part of a feasibility study on a polishing wetland at Rimbo wastewater plant (wwp) in Norrtälje municipality. The wwp had to decrease the nitrogen discharge to reach the limit 15 mg tot-N/l. The nitrogen in the outlet was mainly in the form of nitrate, hence the wetland mainly ought to support denitrification. The proposed area for the wetland was situated right next to the wwp and was already in the municipalitys posession. One aim of this study was to examine what spieces of plants needed to achieve highest possible denitrification. Some different plant spieces for providing a good and interesting environment for birds and people were also proposed. Furthermore a massbalance model was developed for studying the important exchange processes in a wetland, to study the impact of an uneven streambed on the hyporheic water exchange and for trying to predict the wetlands nitrogen removal capacity. Proposed plants to support denitrification was different reeds such as Common reed (Phragmites australis), Bulrush (Typha), Reed Sweet-grass (Glyceria maxima) och Reed Canry-grass (Phalaris Arundinacea). Common reed is a durable species who can survive in deeper water up to 2 metres while the others need a shallower water about 0,5 m of depth. For the good of the birdlife, different spieces of Sedges (Carex) were chosen due to their ability to produce large amounts of nutrient rich seeds. Measurment in sediment cores from Ekeby wetland in Eskilstuna gave a potential denitrification capacity of 3,31 mg NO3-N m-3 sed s-1. The denitrification capacity was then used in a massbalance model were the theory of advective pumping in an uneven bedsurface also was implemented. Evaluation of the model results showed that an uneven bedsurface did not contribute to an increased nitrogen removal from the wetland, possibly due to a far too low advection and flow of the water. This was also a reason to why the distribution between denitrification from the water- and plant community vs the sediment was unbalanced. The model results showed that less than 1 % of the reduced nitrogen came from the sediment part, in contrast to current knowledge that says about 50%. The model and the participating exchange processes need to be further evaluated before the models prediction of nitrogen removal can be used in design of a wetland. Calculations and comparisons with other wetlands showed that with a well estimated, grown up and maintained wetland, there should be no problems in achieving the goal of nitrogen removal in Rimbo wetland. Such a wetland should also provide a good habitat for birds and animals and also be a good recreationarea for people to visit, properties that were appreciated as important effects in other wetlands studied in this work. / Detta arbete gjordes som en del av en förstudie för anläggande av en efterpolerande våtmark till reningsverket i Rimbo, Norrtälje kommun. Reningsverket behövde sänka sitt utsläpp av kväve till riktvärdet 15 mg tot-N/l. Huvuddelen av kvävet i utloppsvattnet förelåg i nitratform, varför denitrifikationen borde förstärkas genom att anlägga en våtmark. Det tilltänkta området för våtmarken ligger i anslutning till reningsverket och ägs idag av kommunen. I detta arbete undersöktes vilken växtlighet i våtmarken som var lämpligast för syftet att få en så bra denitrifikation som möjligt. Även olika växtarter för att ge en intressant miljö för fåglar och människor togs fram. Dessutom utvecklades en massbalansmodell som användes för att studera de utbytesprocesser som är viktiga i en våtmark, frågan hur en ojämn bottenmorfometri påverkar det hyporheiska vattenutbytet samt om det går att förutsäga reningskapaciteten i Rimbo våtmark. Lämpliga växter för denitrifikationen ansågs vara vassbildande växter, och då främst främst bladvass (Phragmites australis), men även kaveldun (Typha), jättegröe (Glyceria maxima) och rörflen (Phalaris Arundinacea). Bladvass är en mycket tålig växt som klarar stort vattendjup, medan de andra vassorterna behöver en grundare våtmark på ca 0,5 m. För fågellivets bästa ansågs starrväxter (Carex) vara viktiga arter då de producerar stora mängder frön. Mätning av denitrifikationspotentialen i sediment från Ekeby våtmark gav en hastighet för denitrifikationen i sedimentet på 3,31 mg NO3-N m-3 sed s-1. Denitrifikationen från sediment användes sedan i en massbalansmodell där även även teorin om advektivt pumputbyte vid ojämn bottenform implementerades. En utvärdering av modellresultaten kunde avgöra att en ojämn eller vågig bottenmorfometri inte skulle förbättra reningen i våtmarken. Detta beroende på bland annat för låg advektionshastighet och flöde. Detta låga flöde ned i sedimentet bidrog även till att fördelningen av kväveborttag från sediment respektive vatten- och växtdelen blev snedfördelad. Enligt modellen var det mindre än 1% av kvävet som togs bort från sedimentet medan all vetenskap tyder på närmare 50%. Modellen och de ingående utbytesprocesserna bör utvärderas och utvecklas ytterligare innan den kan användas som verktyg för att beräkna kvävereningen från en våtmark. Beräkningar och jämförelser med andra våtmarker visade dock att en väl beväxt, utförd och beskickad våtmark inte skulle ha några problem att sänka nitrathalten till riktvärdet. En våtmark skulle även utgöra en bra uppehållsmiljö för fåglar, djur och människor vilket anses som viktiga mervärden i våtmarker på andra platser i Sverige.

Within this study it was investigated how much energy and money that could be saved by implementing new aeration equipment and aeration control in Sternö wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Sternö WWTP is a full-scale plant built in 1997 and dimensioned for 26 000 population equivalents. The plant has two parallel biological treatment lines with pre-denitrification. During the study, one of the treatment lines was used as a test line, where new aeration equipment and control was implemented. The other line was used as a reference line, where the aeration equipment and control was maintained as before. The new aeration equipment that was implemented to support the test line was an AtlasCopco screw blower, fine bubble Sanitaire low pressure diffusers and measurement equipment. Two control strategies were tested: oxygen control and ammonium control. The results show that 35 percentage points of the test line energy consumption was reduced with the new screw blower. The diffusers saved another 21 percentage points and by fine tuning the controllers, the oxygen concentrations and the air pressure a further 9 percentage points could be saved. The ammonium control gave no energy savings, since the lowest allowed DO set-point (0.7 mg L-1) kept effluent ammonium below the ammonium set-point of 1 mg L-1.  The final energy savings of the test line was 65 ± 2 %. Each aeration equipment upgrade increased the energy savings with: •    Blower 35 %. •    Diffusers 32 %. •    Oxygen control with decreased DO concentrations and air pressure 21 %. The final savings correspond to 13 % of the total energy consumption of Sternö WWTP. These savings are equivalent to annual savings of 178 MWh, which decreases the energy costs by 200 000 SEK per year. The payback period of the implemented aeration equipment and control was 3.7 years. / I denna studie har det undersökts hur mycket energi och pengar som kan sparas genom att installera ny luftningsutrusning och luftningsreglering i Sternö avloppsreningsverk. Reningsverket är beläget i Karlshamn och dimensionerat för 26 000 personekvivalenter. Den biologiska reningen är uppdelad på två parallella reningslinjer, där den ena användes till försök och den andra som referenslinje i denna studie. Den biologiska reningen utgörs av en konventionell aktivslamprocess med fördenitrifikation. Studien innefattade en simulering där två olika reglerstrategier för luftningen jämfördes. Simuleringen gjordes i programmet Benchmark Simulation Model no 1 och modellen anpassades för att efterlikna Sternö reningsverk på bästa sätt. De två reglerstrategierna för luftningen utgjordes av luftstyrning baserad på syrekoncentration i bioreaktorerna och luftstyrning baserad på utgående ammoniumkoncentration från bioreaktorerna. Simuleringen visade att energibesparingen från ammoniumreglering jämfört med en syrereglering är liten. Fördelen med ammoniumreglering är istället att den önskade reningsgraden lättare kan uppfyllas över året, trots varierande temperatur. Vid fullskaleförsök vid försökslinjen installerades ny luftningsutrustning (AtlasCopco blåsmaskin med skruvteknologi, Sanitaire småbubbliga diffusorer, samt mätnings-utrustning) och ny luftstyrning. Två luftstyrningsstrategier testades: syrereglering och ammoniumreglering. Resultaten visade att blåsmaskinen gav en energibesparing på 35 procentenheter, att diffusorerna gav en energibesparing på 21 procentenheter och att fininställd syrereglering tillsammans med sänkta syre- och lufttrycksnivåer gav en sänkning på 9 procentenheter. Ammoniumregleringen gav ingen energibesparing eftersom den lägst tillåtna syrekoncentrationen (0,7 mg L-1) höll ammonium-koncentrationen under sitt börvärde på 1 mg L-1. Den slutliga energibesparingen för testlinjen var 65 ± 2 %. Varje luftningsutrustning bidrog med följande energibesparing: •    Blåsmaskin 35 %. •    Diffusorer 32 %. •    Ny syrereglering med sänkta syre- och lufttrycksnivåer 21 %. Den slutliga energibesparingen i testlinjen motsvarar 13 % av Sternö reningsverks totala energiförbrukning, vilket gör att 178 MWh kan sparas per år. Den minskade energi-förbrukningen sänker energikostnaden för reningsverket med 200 000 SEK per år. Återbetalningstiden på den till försökslinjen installerade utrustningen var 3,7 år.

Resurseffektiv kvävereduktion genom nitritation Problematiken med övergödning i våra akvatiska system har lett till hårdare krav på kväverening vid våra reningsverk. En rejektvattenbehandling har visat sig vara ett bra alternativ för att utöka kvävereningen. Vid Nykvarnsverket i Linköping renas avloppsvatten och sedan 2009 finns en SHARON-anläggning i drift. SHARON står för ”Stable High rate Ammonia Removal Over Nitrite” och är en kvävereningsprocess för rejektvatten utvecklad av Grontmij i samarbete med Tekniska universitetet i Delft. I denna studie har SHARON-processen i Linköping undersökts. Dess funktion har utvärderats, drift- och underhållsbehov har studerats och nyckeltal för processen har tagits fram. Arbetet har utförts under våren 2012 genom teoretiska studier samt genom platsbesök och praktiska undersökningar vid Nykvarnsverket i Linköping. Resultaten av denna studie visar att SHARON-processen i Linköping renar ammonium med en reningsgrad på 92,5 %. Denna kväverening motsvarar 18 % av reningsverkets totala kvävereduktion trots att endast cirka 0,5 % av det totala flödet genom reningsverket behandlas. Kostnaden för den utökade kvävereningen är 9,3 kr/kg N och energiåtgången är 2,2 kWh/kg N. Processen har sedan idrifttagandet haft undermålig luftningskapacitet. Detta har troligen lett till den instabilitet som processen uppvisat och att den uppsatta reningsgraden på 97 % inte nås. På grund av låga syrehalter finns Anammoxbakterier i SHARON-reaktorn. Anammoxbakterierna påverkar kvävereningen, men i vilken utsträckning detta sker är inte klarlagt. En ny blåsmaskin är i drift sedan den 30 april och luftningskapaciteten motsvarar nu ursprunglig processdesign. Effekten av den utökade luftningen behöver utvärderas ytterligare. De stöddoseringar av bland annat fosfor och koppar, som är nödvändiga för mikroorganismernas tillväxt, kan exempelvis behöva justeras då processen reagerat på den utökade syretillförseln. / Resource-efficient nitrogen removal through nitritation Eutrophication in our aquatic systems has led to stricter limits regarding nitrogen removal at our wastewater treatment plants. Side stream treatment of reject water has proven to be a good alternative for extended nitrogen removal. At Nykvarnsverket, in Linköping municipality, in Sweden a SHARON-process has been operational since 2009. SHARON stands for ”Stable High rate Ammonia Removal Over Nitrite” and is a nitrogen removal reject water treatment process developed by Grontmij and Delft University of Technology. In this study the function of the SHARON-process in Linköping has been evaluated. The operating and maintenance costs have been calculated. The study has been performed during the spring of 2012 through theoretical studies and practical investigations at Nykvarnsverket in Linköping. The results show that the SHARON-process in Linköping removes ammonia with an efficiency of 92.5 %. This nitrogen removal corresponds to 18 % of the total nitrogen removal at Nykvarnsverket, in spite of the fact that the reject water treatment constitutes only 0.5 % of the treatment plant’s total hydraulic capacity. The cost of the extended nitrogen removal was 9.3 SEK/kg N and the energy consumption was 2.2 kWh/kg N. Ever since the process was put into operation, there has been a lack of aeration capacity. This is probably the cause of the process instability and the fact that the nitrogen removal efficiency does not reach the design value of 97 %. Because of the low levels of dissolved oxygen there are Anammox-bacteria present in the process. The Anammox-bacteria affect the nitrogen removal, but exactly to what extent has not been determined. A new blower is in operation since the 30th of April and the aeration capacity now corresponds to the original design. The effect of the increased aeration needs further evaluation. The aid dosages of copper and phosphorous, important for the growth of the microorganisms, may need to be fine-tuned when the process has reacted to the increased oxygen supply.

I denna studie har funktionen hos sju anlagda våtmarker för behandling av avloppsvatten i Sverige jämförts över tid med avseende på avskiljning av kväve, fosfor och BOD. Syftet var att undersöka våtmarkernas långsiktiga funktion, skötselåtgärder och relaterade kostnader. Våtmarkerna (1,6 - 28 ha stora) har varit i drift olika länge, mellan 7 och 17 år, och befintliga övervakningsdata samt intervjuer med ansvariga för respektive våtmark användes som grund för studien. Resultaten visade att våtmarkernas reningsfunktion generellt sett varit god utan någon tendens till en försämrad funktion över tid. Våtmarkerna belastades med 1100 - 9900 kg N/ (ha·år) och avskiljde mellan 420 och 2400 kg N/ (ha·år), beräknat som ett medelvärde per anläggning. Belastningen av fosfor var 17 - 145 kg P/ (ha·år) med en avskiljning på 10 - 110 kg P/ (ha·år). En linjär regressionsanalys visade att en högre fosforbelastning också gav en högre avskiljning. Sambandet var svagare för kväve, vilket indikerar att andra faktorer också var viktiga för kväveavskiljningen. Problem med fosforsläpp i våtmarkerna observerades bara där fosforfällning i reningsverken skett med järnbaserad kemikalie, och verkade vara förknippade med tidvisa anaeroba förhållanden i sedimenten. Utgående halter av BOD7 låg på < 5,0 mg/l för alla våtmarker trots stora skillnader i inkommande halt. Kostnaderna för avskiljningen i våtmarkerna var 30 - 190 kr per kg avskilt kväve och 0 - 4700 kr per kg avskilt fosfor. Storleken på kostnaderna var beroende av investeringskostnaden och den årliga driftkostnaden samt hur kostnaden fördelades mellan kväve och fosfor. / In this study, seven constructed free water surface wetlands for wastewater treatment in Sweden were compared, regarding the removal of nitrogen, phosphorous and BOD. The aim was to investigate the long term function, management needs, related costs and look into uncertainties regarding the risk for phosphorous release. The seven wetlands (1.6 - 28 ha) have been in operation for 7-17 years and existing monitoring data were used along with interviews with the staff responsible for the operation. All wetlands performed satisfactorily and there were no indications of a reduced treatment capacity over time. On average, the wetlands received 1100 to 9900 kg N / (ha·yr) and removed 420 to 2400 kg N / (ha·yr). The phosphorous loads varied between 17 and 145 kg P / (ha·yr) and the removal between 10 and 110 kg P / (ha·yr). A linear regression showed that a higher phosphorous load resulted in a higher removal rate. For the removal of nitrogen the linear relationship was weaker, indicating that other factors also were important. Release of bound phosphorous occurred occasionally in wetlands after WWTP using iron based phosphorous precipitation chemicals, and seemed associated with periods when sediments became anaerobic. Effluent concentrations of BOD were < 5.0 mg/l despite varying inflow concentration, and seemed to reflect a background concentration. The costs for the wetland treatment varied between 30 and 190 SEK per kg N removed and between 0 and 4700 SEK per kg P removed. The size of the costs was dependent on investment and management costs as well as how the cost was distributed between nitrogen and phosphorous.

The study aims to investigate an appropriate wastewater treatment process to treat domestic wastewater in Hanoi City which contain low-strength for COD (120-200 mg/L) but high in nitrogen content (10-40 mg/L). A lab scale anoxic-oxic system with a hollow fiber-Membrane Separation Bioreactor was operated at a flow rate of 5-10 L/h over a period of 150 days. The reactor was operated at different sludge recirculation rates. The MBR maintained relatively constant transmembrane pressure. During 150 days of reactor operation, treated water quality have COD of around 20 mg/L, NH4-N of less than 1 mg/L, NO3-N of less than 5 mg/L. The system shows good and stable efficiency for organic matter and nitrogen removal without adding an external carbon source and coagulants. The results based on the study indicated that the proposed process configuration has potential to treat the low-strength wastewater in Hanoi. / Mục tiêu của nghiên cứu là đề xuất được một công nghệ hiệu quả và phù hợp để xử lý nước thải sinh họat ở các đô thị của Việt nam, là loại nước thải được thu gom từ hệ thống thoát nước chung có nồng độ chất hữu cơ thấp (COD 120-200 mg/l) nhưng hàm lượng chất dinh dưỡng như Nitơ, Phốt pho khá cao (T-N: 10-40 mg/L). Chúng tôi đã nghiên cứu và vận hành chạy thử mô hình xử lý sinh học yếm khí - kỵ khí (AO) kết hợp với màng vi lọc ở quy mô mô hình phòng thí nghiệm (công suất 5-10 L/h) ở các chế độ công suất bùn tuần hoàn khác nhau. Kết quả xử lý trong thời gian 5 tháng vận hành mô hình cho thấy chất lượng nước thải sau xử lý có hàm lượng COD nhỏ hơn 20 mg/L, NH4-N nhỏ hơn 1 mg/L, NO3-N nhỏ hơn 5 mg/L. Hiệu suất xử lý chất hữu cơ và chất dinh dưỡng rất ổn định và hệ thống không phải sử dụng các nguồn bổ sung chất hữu cơ hay các hóa chất trợ lắng như các công nghệ đang áp dụng. Kết quả cho thấy công nghệ AO kết hợp màng vi lọc có khả năng áp dụng thực tế, phù hợp với những nơi có quỹ đất nhỏ, chất lượng nước sau xử lý rất cao có thể phục vụ cho mục đích tái sử dụng.

High strength wastewater (HSWW) generated in food processing industries is characterized by high organic carbon and nitrogen content, and thus high oxygen demand. Biological nitrogen removal (BNR) is a technology widely used for the treatment of HSWW. Food processing facilities practice sanitation to keep food contact surfaces clean and pathogen-free. Benzalkonium chlorides (BACs) are cationic quaternary ammonium antimicrobial compounds (QACs) common in industrial antimicrobial formulations. BAC-bearing wastewater generated during sanitation applications in food processing facilities is combined with other wastewater streams and typically treated in BNR systems. The poor selectivity and target specificity of the antimicrobial BACs negatively impact the performance of BNR systems due to the susceptibility of BNR microbial populations to BAC. Objectives of the research were: a) assessment and quantification of the inhibitory effect of QACs on the microbial groups, which mediate BNR in HSWW treatment systems while treating QAC-bearing HSWW; b) evaluation of the degree and extent of the contribution of QAC adsorption, inhibition, and biotransformation on the fate and effect of QACs in BNR systems. A laboratory-scale, multi-stage BNR system was continuously fed with real poultry processing wastewater amended with a mixture of three benzalkonium chlorides. The nitrogen removal efficiency initially deteriorated at a BAC feed concentration of 5 mg/L due to complete inhibition of nitrification. However, the system recovered after 27 days of operation achieving high nitrogen removal efficiency, even after the feed BAC concentration was stepwise increased up to120 mg/L. Batch assays performed using the mixed liquors of the BNR system reactors, before, during, and post BAC exposure, showed that the development of BAC biotransformation capacity and the acquisition of resistance to BAC contributed to the recovery of nitrification and nitrogen removal. Kinetic analysis based on sub-models representing BNR processes showed that BAC inhibition of denitrification and nitrification is correlated with BAC liquid-phase and solid-phase concentrations, respectively. Simulations using a comprehensive mathematical BNR model developed for this research showed that BAC degradation and the level of nitrification inhibition by BAC were dynamic brought about by acclimation and enrichment of the heterotrophic and nitrifying microbial populations, respectively. The fate and effect of BACs in the BNR system were accurately described when the interactions between adsorption, inhibition, and resistance/biotransformation were considered within the conditions prevailing in each reactor. This work is the first study on the fate and effect of antimicrobial QACs in a continuous-flow, multi-stage BNR system, and the first study to quantify and report parameter values related to BAC inhibition of nitrification and denitrification. Results of this study enable the rational design and operation of BNR systems for the efficient treatment of QAC-bearing wastewater. The outcome of this research provides information presently lacking, supporting the continuous use of QACs as antimicrobial agents in food processing facilities, when and where needed, while avoiding any negative impacts on biological treatment systems and the environment.

With increasing water reuse applications and upcoming stringent regulations for treated wastewater effluent discharge, wastewater plants need to consider alternative technologies beyond conventional treatment processes. The new regulations, Numeric Nutrient Criteria (NNC), may regulate discharge nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations to as low as 0.5 mg/L as N and 10 μg/L as P respectively. To meet these target requirements, system retrofitting to incorporate chemical or advanced nutrient removal systems possibly with membrane technology will most likely be required. Although microfiltration/ultrafiltration membranes coupled with biological processes, otherwise known as membrane bioreactors (MBR), remove contaminants and suspended solids, nutrient removal is minimal to none. This emphasizes the importance of the biological process in MBRs. This study evaluated and tested the improvement of biological nutrient removal (BNR) in an MBR system which can meet NNC regulations along with the optimization of membrane operation for the reduction of fouling and energy consumption. A pilot study was conducted at the City of Tampa wastewater treatment plant and was divided into four phases of experimentation using two submerged MBR membranes operated with modified biological configurations. Laboratory analyses and data collection were conducted during the experiments and the performance evaluated for each configuration. System configurations were also optimized throughout each phase of testing for nutrient removal. Important factors used in the development of an appropriate configuration included isolation of the membrane tank from the biological reactors in the design, control of the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations or specifically the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) during operation and appropriate internal recirculation rates between the reactors. The results of this study provided information relevant for the assessment of both the BNR process and membrane performance. Membrane performance data indicated the importance and effect of air scouring (despite energy consumption) on membrane fouling for long-term stable flux operation as well as the cleaning frequency whether chemical enhanced backwash (CEB) or clean-in-place (CIP). This assessment also discussed how BNR systems can be enhanced through the incorporation of important design factors to eliminate the inhibiting factors of nitrogen and phosphorus removal such as dissolved oxygen. One of the biological processes tested in this study achieved effluent nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations below 5 mg/L and 1 mg/L respectively. Although the process tested did not meet NNC criteria, it can be applied with chemical precipitation. This, in turn, can reduce the operating and maintenance (O&M) costs associated with the chemical precipitation of phosphorus.

abstract / Civil Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy