Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) has been developed and commercially used for treating high-strength wastewaters since 1971, and this process has been extended its applications to domestic sewage treatment since 1980. Constructed wetlands (CWL) can be treated as a simulated natural treatment system, which use solar radiation as the energy source. By analogy with some removal mechanisms in natural wetlands, constructed wetlands are able to transform and remove pollutants from the wastewater. Other features provided by the constructed wetland include wildlife support, hydrologic modification, erosion protection, and open space and aesthetics. It has been applied for domestic wastewater purification for decades. In this study, a pilot UASB-CWL reactor was built to test its performance for the removal of organic compounds and nutrients from a sewage with COD (Chemical oxygen demand) in the range of 200-300 mg/L. The UASB reactor has an active liquid volume of 2.5 liters and the CWL includes a 56 L-tank (CWL-1) followed by a 80 L-tank (CWL-2) in which emergent macrophyte (reed, Phragmites australis L.) and floating macrophyte (Pistia stratiotes L.), respectively, were planted. Effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the test water in the reactor on the pollutant removal were tested. Results indicate that with HRTs of 2, 45, and 64 hours, respectively, in the UASB, CWL-1, and CWL-2, the system exhibited good performances for pollutant removal. The HRTs are equivalent to CODt loadings of 3.06, 0.065, and 0.026 kg/m3.day to the UASB, CWL-1, and CWL-2, respectively. Average total COD (CODt), soluble COD (CODs), total biochemical oxygen demand (BODt), suspended solids (SS), and phosphate-P (P) were 121, 62, 33, 130, and 0.10 mg/L, respectively, and these are equivalent to the removal efficacies of 45-65, 60-80,65-75, 30-50, and 85-95%, respectively. With the operation conditions, average CODt = 28 , CODs = 18, BODt = 10, SS = 18, NH3-N = 18, NO2--N =12 , NO3--N = 1.0, and P = 0.0 mg/L were obtained, and the average removal total efficacies were 93, 93, 90, 75, 72, 95, and 100%, respectively. Effluent qualities are far superior to the national effluent standards for domestic sewage in Taiwan.

Domestic wastewater is the most abundant type of wastewater. Direct discharge of untreated domestic wastewater has environmental and public health risks due to the presence of organics, nutrients and pathogens. Application of anaerobic processes for the treatment of domestic sewage, which at present is largely treated by aerobic processes, has drawn considerable attention recently. Anaerobic processes can be applied for the removal of organic matter (methanogenesis) and nitrogen (anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox)).The toxicity of fluoride to methanogenesis was investigated. The results indicate that acetoclastic were more susceptible to fluoride than hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The concentration of fluoride causing 50% inhibition (IC50) to acetoclastic ranged from 18.1 to 155.7 mg L-1 while for hydrogenotrophic methanogens was > 400.0 mg L-1.The feasibility of a combined system consisting of anaerobic up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) followed by aerobic activated sludge (AS) reactor for removal of carbonaceous and nitrogenous contaminants from strong synthetic sewage (2.5 g chemical oxygen demand (COD) L-1) was also studied. The average combined removal of total COD, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and protein was higher than 89.0%, 99.0% and 97.0%; respectively. Extensive nitrification (96.0%) was observed when dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration was > 2.0 mg L-1. In contrast, only partial nitrification occurred when the AS received high organic loads and/or the DO level was below 2.0 mg L-1.The inhibitory effect of nitrite and nitrate on methanogenesis was evaluated. Methanogenic activity was inhibited by the presence of NOx- compounds (i.e., nitrite and nitrate). The inhibition imparted by nitrate was not due to the nitrate itself, but rather to its reduced intermediate, nitrite. The toxicity of NOx- to methanogens was found to be reversible after all the NOx- were reduced during denitrification.Moreover, the development of Anammox enrichment cultures was evaluated. Anammox cultures were successfully developed using sludge samples collected from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as inocula but not from methanogenic granular sludges. Return activated sludge (RAS) collected from WWTP operating for biological nitrogen removal had the highest intrinsic level of Anammox activity. RAS Anammox culture was developed rapidly within 40 days with a doubling time of 6.8 days.

Os efluentes líquidos de curtumes apresentam altas cargas orgânicas e de poluentes que devem ser tratados corretamente para atingir os padrões legais para seu descarte, evitando a eutrofização de corpos hídricos e poluição das águas. O acabamento do couro é o estágio final da produção, onde o couro recebe as características desejadas de acordo com os produtos e artigos que serão produzidos. Os efluentes das etapas de processamento para acabamento do couro são responsáveis por conterem poluentes químicos devido ao uso de corantes, surfactantes, metais tóxicos, agentes emulsificantes, recurtentes, óleos, pigmentos, resinas, entre outros produtos químicos adicionados. As microalgas têm sido alvo de vários estudos no âmbito de tratamento de efluentes, devido à sua capacidade de remover diversos nutrientes, matéria orgânica do meio e por serem formas mais limpas e econômicas de tratar os poluentes. Diante disto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o emprego de um consórcio de microalgas para tratamento de efluentes de um curtume e analisar a capacidade de remoção de poluentes que são nutrientes para estes microrganismos. Os efluentes foram caracterizados ao longo dos ensaios com o consórcio de microalgas por meio de Nitrogênio Total (NT), Amônia (NH3), Fósforo (P-PO4), Carbono total (CT), Carbono Orgânico Total (COT), Carbono inorgânico (CI), DQO e Demanda Biológica de Oxigênio (DBO) e foi acompanhado o crescimento das microalgas. Para os experimentos foram coletados efluentes em três estágios distintos em uma estação de tratamento: efluente bruto (B), efluente após tratamento primário de coagulação/floculação (P) e efluente após ao tratamento biológico secundário (S). Os resultados com concentração de efluente de 50%, diluídos em água destilada (A), após 16 dias de cultivo, mostraram que houve crescimento do consórcio nos três efluentes com um crescimento máximo de 1,77 g L-1 no efluente Bruto (50B50A). Na sequência, foi testado o cultivo em efluente bruto (100B) e em efluentes compostos nas seguintes proporções: 50% efluente bruto + 50% efluente após tratamento biológico (50B50S) e 25% efluente bruto + 75% efluente após tratamento biológico (25B75S). Foi possível cultivar o consórcio no efluente bruto sem diluição, entretanto os resultados foram ruins, pois o mesmo apresentou baixo crescimento e, consequentemente, baixos níveis de remoção de nutrientes. Com o efluente composto 25B75S percebeu-se morte rápida das microalgas, uma vez que o efluente apresentava baixas concentrações de nutrientes. Em contrapartida, no efluente 50B50S foram atingidos valores efetivos de crescimento e remoção de nutrientes. Em cultivos fotoautotrófico, mixotrófico e heterotrófico de efluente composto 50B50S e de 75% efluente bruto + 25% efluente após tratamento biológico (75B25S), os melhores resultados foram atingidos no efluente 75B25S no cultivo fotoautotrófico, crescendo até 1,42 g L-1 e atingindo valores de remoção de NNH3, Nitrogênio Total (NT), DQO, carbono orgânico total (TOC) e demanda biológica de oxigênio (DBO5), de 99,90%, 74,89%, 56,70%, 58,18% e 20,68%, respectivamente. Ao obter a microalga isolada Tetraselmis sp. predominante no consórcio foi analisado os parâmetros anteriores em cultivo fotoautotrófico, além disso foi verificada a quantidade de lipídio presente na biomassa. A microalga Tetraselmis sp. apresentou um crescimento notório no cultivo fotoautotrófico com remoções eficientes dos parâmetros e 5,0% de lipídio no peso seco. / Liquid effluents from tanneries present high organic and pollutant loads and must be treated correctly to meet the legal standards for effluent disposal and to avoid eutrophication of water bodies and water pollution. The leather finish is the final stage of production, where the leather receives the desired characteristics according to leather goods and articles. The effluents from the processing steps for leather finishing are responsible for containing chemical pollutants due to the use of dyes, surfactants, toxic metals, emulsifying agents, retanning agents, oils, pigments, resins, among other chemicals added. Microalgae have been the subject of several studies in the field of effluent treatment due to their ability to remove various nutrients, organic matter from the environment and to be cleaner and more economical ways to treat pollutants. In this work, the growth of a microalgae consortium for the treatment of effluents from a tannery was analyzed and the capacity of removal of Total Nitrogen (NT), Ammonia (NH3), Phosphorus (P-PO4), Total Carbon ), Total Organic Carbon (COD), COD and Biological Oxygen Demand (DBO), as well as the growth of microalgae biomass in these effluents. The effluents were characterized before and after the trials with the microalgae consortium. Effluents were collected in three distinct stages at a treatment plant: crude effluent (B), effluent after primary coagulation / flocculation (P) treatment and effluent after secondary biological treatment (S). The results with 50% effluent concentration, diluted in distilled water (A) after 16 days of cultivation, showed that there was a consortium growth in the three effluents with a maximum growth of 1.77 g L-1 in the crude effluent (50P50A). (50B50S) and 25% crude effluent + 75% effluent after biological treatment (25B75S) were tested in the following proportions: 50% crude effluent + 50% effluent after biological treatment (50B50S). It was not possible to cultivate the consortium in pure crude effluent, since it presented low growth and, consequently, low levels of nutrient removal. With the compound effluent 25B75S it was observed rapid death of the microalgae, since the effluent presented low concentrations of nutrients. On the other hand, in the effluent 50B50S, effective values of growth and nutrient removal were achieved. In photoautotrophic, mixotrophic and heterotrophic cultures of 50B50S effluent and 75% crude effluent + 25% effluent after biological treatment (75B25S), the best results were reached in the effluent 75B25S in photoautotrophic cultivation, growing up to 1.42 g L-1 and reaching values of removal of N-NH3, total nitrogen (NT), (DQO), total organic carbon (COT) and biological oxygen demand (DBO), of 99.90%, 74.89%, 56.70%, 58.18% and 20.68%, respectively. By obtaining the isolated microalgae Tetraselmis sp., predominant in the consortium and analyzed and the previous parameters in photoautotrophic cultivation, in addition to being verified the amount of lipid present in the biomass. The microalgae Tetraselmis sp. showed a notable growth in photoautotrophic cultivation with efficient removal of the parameters and 5.0% of lipid in dry weight.

Os efluentes líquidos de curtumes apresentam altas cargas orgânicas e de poluentes que devem ser tratados corretamente para atingir os padrões legais para seu descarte, evitando a eutrofização de corpos hídricos e poluição das águas. O acabamento do couro é o estágio final da produção, onde o couro recebe as características desejadas de acordo com os produtos e artigos que serão produzidos. Os efluentes das etapas de processamento para acabamento do couro são responsáveis por conterem poluentes químicos devido ao uso de corantes, surfactantes, metais tóxicos, agentes emulsificantes, recurtentes, óleos, pigmentos, resinas, entre outros produtos químicos adicionados. As microalgas têm sido alvo de vários estudos no âmbito de tratamento de efluentes, devido à sua capacidade de remover diversos nutrientes, matéria orgânica do meio e por serem formas mais limpas e econômicas de tratar os poluentes. Diante disto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o emprego de um consórcio de microalgas para tratamento de efluentes de um curtume e analisar a capacidade de remoção de poluentes que são nutrientes para estes microrganismos. Os efluentes foram caracterizados ao longo dos ensaios com o consórcio de microalgas por meio de Nitrogênio Total (NT), Amônia (NH3), Fósforo (P-PO4), Carbono total (CT), Carbono Orgânico Total (COT), Carbono inorgânico (CI), DQO e Demanda Biológica de Oxigênio (DBO) e foi acompanhado o crescimento das microalgas. Para os experimentos foram coletados efluentes em três estágios distintos em uma estação de tratamento: efluente bruto (B), efluente após tratamento primário de coagulação/floculação (P) e efluente após ao tratamento biológico secundário (S). Os resultados com concentração de efluente de 50%, diluídos em água destilada (A), após 16 dias de cultivo, mostraram que houve crescimento do consórcio nos três efluentes com um crescimento máximo de 1,77 g L-1 no efluente Bruto (50B50A). Na sequência, foi testado o cultivo em efluente bruto (100B) e em efluentes compostos nas seguintes proporções: 50% efluente bruto + 50% efluente após tratamento biológico (50B50S) e 25% efluente bruto + 75% efluente após tratamento biológico (25B75S). Foi possível cultivar o consórcio no efluente bruto sem diluição, entretanto os resultados foram ruins, pois o mesmo apresentou baixo crescimento e, consequentemente, baixos níveis de remoção de nutrientes. Com o efluente composto 25B75S percebeu-se morte rápida das microalgas, uma vez que o efluente apresentava baixas concentrações de nutrientes. Em contrapartida, no efluente 50B50S foram atingidos valores efetivos de crescimento e remoção de nutrientes. Em cultivos fotoautotrófico, mixotrófico e heterotrófico de efluente composto 50B50S e de 75% efluente bruto + 25% efluente após tratamento biológico (75B25S), os melhores resultados foram atingidos no efluente 75B25S no cultivo fotoautotrófico, crescendo até 1,42 g L-1 e atingindo valores de remoção de NNH3, Nitrogênio Total (NT), DQO, carbono orgânico total (TOC) e demanda biológica de oxigênio (DBO5), de 99,90%, 74,89%, 56,70%, 58,18% e 20,68%, respectivamente. Ao obter a microalga isolada Tetraselmis sp. predominante no consórcio foi analisado os parâmetros anteriores em cultivo fotoautotrófico, além disso foi verificada a quantidade de lipídio presente na biomassa. A microalga Tetraselmis sp. apresentou um crescimento notório no cultivo fotoautotrófico com remoções eficientes dos parâmetros e 5,0% de lipídio no peso seco. / Liquid effluents from tanneries present high organic and pollutant loads and must be treated correctly to meet the legal standards for effluent disposal and to avoid eutrophication of water bodies and water pollution. The leather finish is the final stage of production, where the leather receives the desired characteristics according to leather goods and articles. The effluents from the processing steps for leather finishing are responsible for containing chemical pollutants due to the use of dyes, surfactants, toxic metals, emulsifying agents, retanning agents, oils, pigments, resins, among other chemicals added. Microalgae have been the subject of several studies in the field of effluent treatment due to their ability to remove various nutrients, organic matter from the environment and to be cleaner and more economical ways to treat pollutants. In this work, the growth of a microalgae consortium for the treatment of effluents from a tannery was analyzed and the capacity of removal of Total Nitrogen (NT), Ammonia (NH3), Phosphorus (P-PO4), Total Carbon ), Total Organic Carbon (COD), COD and Biological Oxygen Demand (DBO), as well as the growth of microalgae biomass in these effluents. The effluents were characterized before and after the trials with the microalgae consortium. Effluents were collected in three distinct stages at a treatment plant: crude effluent (B), effluent after primary coagulation / flocculation (P) treatment and effluent after secondary biological treatment (S). The results with 50% effluent concentration, diluted in distilled water (A) after 16 days of cultivation, showed that there was a consortium growth in the three effluents with a maximum growth of 1.77 g L-1 in the crude effluent (50P50A). (50B50S) and 25% crude effluent + 75% effluent after biological treatment (25B75S) were tested in the following proportions: 50% crude effluent + 50% effluent after biological treatment (50B50S). It was not possible to cultivate the consortium in pure crude effluent, since it presented low growth and, consequently, low levels of nutrient removal. With the compound effluent 25B75S it was observed rapid death of the microalgae, since the effluent presented low concentrations of nutrients. On the other hand, in the effluent 50B50S, effective values of growth and nutrient removal were achieved. In photoautotrophic, mixotrophic and heterotrophic cultures of 50B50S effluent and 75% crude effluent + 25% effluent after biological treatment (75B25S), the best results were reached in the effluent 75B25S in photoautotrophic cultivation, growing up to 1.42 g L-1 and reaching values of removal of N-NH3, total nitrogen (NT), (DQO), total organic carbon (COT) and biological oxygen demand (DBO), of 99.90%, 74.89%, 56.70%, 58.18% and 20.68%, respectively. By obtaining the isolated microalgae Tetraselmis sp., predominant in the consortium and analyzed and the previous parameters in photoautotrophic cultivation, in addition to being verified the amount of lipid present in the biomass. The microalgae Tetraselmis sp. showed a notable growth in photoautotrophic cultivation with efficient removal of the parameters and 5.0% of lipid in dry weight.

[EN] Anaerobic membrane bioreactors for urban wastewater treatment present interesting advantages when compared with aerobic treatments, such as less sludge production, lower energy demand and biogas generation. However, the generated effluent cannot generally be discharged without further ammonium and phosphate elimination. This thesis studies the removal of these inorganic nutrients by means of microalgae cultivation. The main objective of this work is therefore to obtain an autochthonous microalgal culture and to investigate its ability to grow on an already existing anaerobic effluent, as well as to research the extent to which ammonium and phosphate can be removed. Moreover, this thesis aims at providing the kinetic expressions which reproduce the main processes involved, in order to provide the basis for process simulation and design. Microalgae were isolated from a local wastewater treatment plant and their ability to grow on the anaerobic effluent -while successfully removing ammonium and phosphate- was demonstrated. An excellent water quality was obtained with a semicontinuous cultivation mode under constant illumination. The Scenedesmus and Chlorococcum genus proliferated more efficiently and thus became predominant in the culture. Results also showed that phosphorus was the limiting nutrient in the anaerobic effluent to be treated. The influence of phosphorus limitation on ammonium and phosphate removal, as well as the influence of temperature in ammonium removal, were then studied under laboratory conditions. Kinetic expressions which reproduce the observed effects were proposed and validated, taking also into account the effect of light intensity. Additionally, a Scenedesmus-dominated culture was grown under varying light and temperature in an outdoor flat-plate photobioreactor, with constant monitoring of light intensity, temperature and ammonium concentration. Acceptable results were obtained in the reproduction of the experimental data, albeit with less accuracy than under laboratory conditions. The work here presented demonstrates the feasibility of coupling a microalgal cultivation system to an anaerobic membrane bioreactor for urban wastewater treatment. The basic factors affecting microalgal nutrient removal are researched, and mathematical models are provided which reproduce these effects. This Ph.D. thesis is enclosed in a national research project funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness entitled "Estudio experimental de la recuperación como biogás de la energía de la materia orgánica y nutrientes del agua residual, acoplando un AnBRM y un cultivo de microalgas" (MINECO project CTM2011-28595-C02-01/02). This research was also supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport via a pre doctoral FPU fellowship to the author (AP2009-4903) / [ES] En el tratamiento de aguas residuales urbanas, los bioreactores anaerobios de membranas presentan ventajas interesantes frente a los tratamientos aerobios. Algunas de estas ventajas son la menor producción de fangos, un menor consumo energético y la producción de biogás. Sin embargo, y generalmente, el efluente obtenido no puede ser vertido al medio sin una etapa previa de eliminación de amonio y fosfato. La presente tesis estudia la eliminación de dichos nutrientes inorgánicos empleando para ello un cultivo de microalgas. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es, por tanto, la obtención de un cultivo autóctono de microalgas y la evaluación de la capacidad que éstas tienen tanto de crecer en un efluente anaerobio como de eliminar el amonio y el fosfato presentes. Asimismo, se pretenden proporcionar las bases para la simulación y el diseño del sistema de depuración propuesto, mediante la obtención de las expresiones cinéticas que reproducen los principales procesos involucrados. En primer lugar se ha demostrado la capacidad de las microalgas, aisladas en una estación depuradora de aguas residuales, de crecer en el efluente anaerobio y de eliminar con éxito el amonio y fosfato en éste presente. El agua tratada, obtenida a mediante un proceso semicontinuo y con iluminación constante, presenta una excelente calidad. Los géneros Scenedesmus y Chlorococcum han proliferado más eficientemente y han llegado a ser los predominantes en el cultivo. Los resultados obtenidos indican que el nutriente limitante en el efluente a tratar es el fósforo, y por tanto la influencia de la limitación de fósforo en la eliminación de nutrientes ha sido estudiada en condiciones de laboratorio, junto con la influencia de la temperatura en la velocidad de eliminación de amonio. Han sido propuestas y validadas las correspondientes expresiones cinéticas que reproducen los efectos observados, teniendo en cuenta en todo momento la influencia de la intensidad de la luz. Por otro lado, un cultivo de Scenedesmus ha sido cultivado en el exterior, bajo condiciones cambiantes de luz y temperatura, que a su vez han sido monitorizadas constantemente, junto con la concentración de amonio. Los datos obtenidos han sido reproducidos mediante modelación matemática con resultados aceptables, aunque la precisión obtenida es menor que en condiciones de laboratorio. La presente tesis demuestra la viabilidad de combinar un cultivo de microalgas con un bioreactor de membranas para el tratamiento de agua residual urbana. Se exponen asimismo los factores básicos que influyen en la velocidad de eliminación de nutrientes, y se presentan los modelos matemáticos necesarios para reproducir los efectos observados. La presente tesis doctoral se incluye en el marco de un proyecto nacional de investigación financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de título "Estudio experimental de la recuperación como biogás de la energía de la materia orgánica y nutrientes del agua residual, acoplando un AnBRM y un cultivo de microalgas" (CTM2011-28595-C02-01/02). La presente tesis doctoral ha sido también financiada por el Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte a través de una ayuda para contratos predoctorales de Formación del Profesorado Universitario (AP2009-4903). / [CAT] En el tractament d'aigües residuals urbanes, els bioreactors anaerobis de membrana tenen avantatges interessants respecte als tractaments aerobis. Alguns d'aquests avantatges són: menys producció de fangs, menys consum energètic i la producció de biogàs. No obstant això, i en general, l'efluent obtingut no es pot tornar al medi sense una etapa prèvia d'eliminació d'amoni i fosfat. Aquesta tesi estudia l'eliminació d'aquests nutrients inorgànics emprant per a fer-ho un cultiu de microalgues. L'objectiu principal d'aquest treball és, per tant, l'obtenció d'un cultiu autòcton de microalgues i l'avaluació de la capacitat que aquestes tenen tant de créixer en un efluent anaerobi com d'eliminar l'amoni i el fosfat presents. Així mateix, volem proporcionar les bases per a la simulació i el disseny del sistema de depuració proposat, mitjançant l'obtenció de les expressions cinètiques que reprodueixen els principals processos involucrats. En primer lloc, s'ha demostrat la capacitat de les microalgues, aïllades en una estació depuradora d'aigües residuals, de créixer en l'efluent anaerobi i d'eliminar amb èxit l'amoni i el fosfat presents. L'aigua tractada, obtinguda mitjançant un procés semicontinu i amb il·luminació constant, presenta una qualitat excel·lent. Els gèneres Scenedesmus i Chlorococcum han proliferat més eficientment i han arribat a ser els predominants en el cultiu. Els resultats obtinguts indiquen que el nutrient limitant en l'efluent per tractar és el fòsfor, i per tant la influència de la limitació de fòsfor en l'eliminació tant d'amoni com de fosfat ha sigut estudiada en condicions de laboratori, juntament amb la influència de la temperatura en la velocitat d'eliminació d'amoni. S'han proposat i validat les expressions cinètiques corresponents que reprodueixen els efectes observats, tenint en compte en tot moment la influència de la intensitat de la llum. D'altra banda, s'ha cultivat a l'exterior un cultiu predominat per Scenedesmus, sota condicions canviants de llum i temperatura, que al seu torn s'han monitorat constantment, juntament amb la concentració d'amoni. Les dades obtingudes s'han reproduït mitjançant simulació matemàtica amb resultats acceptables, encara que la precisió obtinguda és més baixa que en condicions de laboratori. La nostra tesi demostra la viabilitat de combinar un cultiu de microalgues amb un bioreactor de membrana per al tractament d'aigua residual urbana. La tesi exposa així mateix els factors bàsics que influeixen en la velocitat d'eliminació de nutrients, i presenta els models matemàtics necessaris per a reproduir els efectes observats. Aquesta tesi doctoral s'inclou en el marc d'un projecte nacional de recerca finançat pel Ministeri d'Economia i Competitivitat amb el títol "Estudio experimental de la recuperación como biogás de la energía de la materia orgánica y nutrientes del agua residual, acoplando un AnBRM y un cultivo de microalgas" (CTM2011-28595-C02-01/02). La tesi doctoral ha sigut també finançada pel Ministeri d'Educació, Cultura i Esport a través d'una ajuda per a contractes predoctorals de formació del professorat universitari (AP2009-4903). / Ruiz Martínez, A. (2015). Nutrient removal from an anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent using microalgae. Study and modeling of the process [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/59409 / TESIS

Nitrogen pollution is a growing problem that is detrimental to the environment and the economy. Traditional treatment of nitrogen is a multi-stage process, expensive, operationally intensive, and requires large land areas. This research studied the effects of BiOWiSH® Aqua (Aqua), a biological enhancement product, on the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification process in a membrane aerated bioreactor (MABR) to determine if it is a feasible application for wastewater treatment. The MABR used during experimentation was a small-scale batch reactor with a continuous flow of air through a silicone membrane. The effect of carbon source and concentration on nitrogen removal rates and biomass growth/behavior were determined through a series of laboratory experiments with Aqua and wastewater. With glucose and solely Aqua cultures, average reduction rates in nitrogen concentrations were 1.2 mg-N/L/hour for all C:N ratios investigated. When wastewater was used as the main carbon source, creating a mix of wastewater and Aqua bacteria in the MABR, average reduction rates were 10.9 mg-N/L/hour. A maximum reduction rate of 21.3 mg-N/L/hour occurred at a 2:1 C:N ratio. This research concluded that pure Aqua cultures are not efficient at removing nitrogen or greatly augment the nitrogen reduction process. MABRs can use the biochemical oxygen demand in wastewater as a useful/viable carbon source. High carbon to nitrogen ratios (C:N ratio of 30:1) did not result in faster nitrogen reduction rates but did experience rapid biofilm growth and death. This shows that high C:N ratios are not an efficient operationally for MABRs due to the excess sludge created. C:N ratios of v approximately 3:1 provided the most consistent nitrogen reduction for both glucose and wastewater. This research concluded that C:N ratios, pH, and oxygen diffusion heavily affect the MABR’s performance. In addition, MABRs can utilize low C:N ratios during treatment, particularly during the treatment of high-strength wastewater.

The objective of this dissertation was to provide a controlled comparison of identical continuous flow BNR processes both with and without prefermentation in order to provide a stronger, more quantitative, technical basis for design engineers to evaluate the potential benefits of prefermentation to EBPR in treating domestic wastewater. In addition, the even less understood effect of prefermentation on denitrification kinetics and anoxic phosphorus (P) uptake was studied and quantified. Other aspects of BNR performance, which might change due to use of prefermentation, will also be addressed, including anaerobic stabilization. Potential benefits to BNR processes derived from prefermentation are compared and contrasted with the more well-known benefits of primary clarification. Finally, some biokinetic parameters necessary to successfully model both the activated sludge systems and the prefermenter were determined and compared for the prefermented versus the non-prefermented system. Important findings developed during the course of this dissertation regarding the impact of prefermentation upon the performance of activated sludge treatment systems are summarized below: • For a septic COD-limited (TCOD:TP < 40:1) wastewater, prefermentation was found to enhance EPBR by 27.7% at a statistical significance level of alpha=0.05 (95% confidence level). • For septic P-limited (TCOD:TP > 40:1) wastewaters, prefermentation was not found to improve EBPR at a statistical significance level of alpha=0.05 (95% confidence level). • The increased anaerobic P release and aerobic P uptakes due to prefermentation correlated with greater PHA formation and glycogen consumption during anaerobiosis of prefermented influent. • Improvements in biological P removal of septic, non-P limited wastewater occurred even when all additional VFA production exceeded VFA requirements using typical design criteria (e.g. 6 g VFA per 1 g P removal). • Prefermentation increased RBCOD content by an average of 28.8% and VFA content by an average of 18.8%, even for a septic domestic wastewater. • Prefermentation increased specific anoxic denitrification rates for both COD-limited (14.6%) and P-limited (5.4%) influent wastewaters. This increase was statistically significant at alpha=0.05 for COD-limited wastewater, but not for P-limited wastewater.

Despite the technology advancement, degradation of water quality due to stormwater continues to be a significant threat to the water and ecosystems due to the exponential growth of industries and agricultural enterprises that discharge stormwater. These anthropogenic activities are the sources of high nitrogen and phosphorus quantities in stormwater, which is responsible for eutrophication phenomena and deterioration of public health. Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) are a potential solution to this problem. Both microcosm and mesocosm level studies were conducted for the effective removal of nutrients in stormwater wet detention ponds with different sorption media under varying nutrient concentrations and weather conditions. Water depth, percent area coverage of the FTWs and littoral zone emergent plants were varied in order to determine nutrient removal efficiency before implementing in an actual pond. Focus has also been placed on the observations of macrophyte-epiphyte-phytoplankton interactions in order to understand temporal characteristics of ecological phenomena. Water quality parameters included Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, Orthophosphate, Nitrate-Nitrogen, and Ammonia-Nitrogen in addition to in-situ parameters such as pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature and Chlorophyll-a. Results clearly indicate that an FTW filled with sorption media of 80% expanded clay and 20% tire crumb can significantly promote the biomass growth. Different levels of nutrient concentrations did affect the plants’ growth and cold temperature in late winter was detrimental to growth. To make the system more viable irrespective of the seasonal weather conditions, the adoption of mixed vegetation is highly recommended in the FTWs implementation. It is also recommended that, the positioning of the floating wetlands should not be in the vicinity of the outlet of the pond as assimilated nutrient under the mat might increase the nutrient concentration in the discharged water. Finally, One-way ANOVA test is performed to check whether or not iv these grouped microcosms and mesocosms with differing experimental setup can be deemed statistically significant

Stormwater runoff is a known pollutant source capable of causing surface water degradation, especially in highly populated areas such as Central Florida. Wet detention ponds manage this stormwater, but most of the ponds do not remove enough nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, to meet TMDL regulations. This research provides a possible addition to a detention pond in Seminole County, Florida using a Chamber Upflow Filter and Skimmer (CUFS), which can increase the removal of phosphorus and nitrogen by the system. Water enters the system through the skimmer, which floats on the surface of the detention pond. It travels from the skimmer to the bottom of the chamber, where heavier particles settle out before entering the upflow filter. The upflow filter contains twenty-four inches of Black and GoldTM media to remove nitrogen and phosphorus under anoxic conditions. Water flows up through the filter and out of the system, and eventually travels to Lake Jesup, a eutrophic lake. A total of twenty-eight storm events and seven baseflows were sampled from the site in Seminole County, and ten storm events were sampled from a pilot study CUFS. The results of this research show significant reductions by the Seminole County CUFS in turbidity, orthophosphorus, total phosphorus, and total suspended solids when the means were compared at a 95% confidence interval. Reductions also occurred for total nitrogen, but could not be proved by the mean comparison. The pilot scale application of the CUFS significantly reduced total nitrogen at a 95% confidence interval.

High nitrogen and phosphorus content in storm water runoff has affected groundwater, springs and surface water by impacting ecosystem integrity and human health. Nitrate may be toxic and can cause human health problem such as methemoglobinemia, liver damage and even cancers. Phosphorus may trigger the eutrophication issues in fresh water bodies, which could result in toxic algae and eventually endanger the source of drinking waters. Sorption media with mixes of some recycled materials, such as sawdust and tire crumb, combined with sand/silt and limestone, becomes appealing for nutrient removal in environmental management. This paper presented is a specific type of functionalized filtration media, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms with reaction kinetics for nutrient removal using a suite of batch tests represented. Pollutants of concern include ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, orthophosphate and total dissolved phosphorus. Application potential in storm water management facilities, such as dry ponds, is emphasized in terms of life expectancy and reaction kinetics. As compared to the natural soil that is selected as the control case in the column test, our green sorption media mixture is proved relatively effective in terms of removing most of the target pollutants under various influent waste loads.