The James River Treatment Plant (JRTP) operated a 2 MGD Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) demonstration process from November 2007 to April 2009 to explore IFAS performance and investigate IFAS technology as an option for a full scale plant upgrade in response to stricter nutrient discharge limits in the James River Basin. During the study, nitrification kinetics for both ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacteria and plastic biofilm carrier biomass content were monitored on a near-weekly basis comparing the IFAS media, the IFAS process mixed liquor, and mixed liquor from the full-scale activated sludge process. Carrier biomass content is variable with respect to temperature and process SRT and relates to the localization of nitrification activity in the IFAS basin. Similar to trends observed for carrier biomass content (Regmi, 2008), ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) activity also shifted from the fixed film to the suspended phase as water temperatures increased and vice versa as the temperature decreased. The data suggest that AOB activity occurs on the surface of the biofilm carriers, while NOB activity remains deeper in the biofilm. During the highest temperatures observed in the IFAS tank, AOB activity on the media contributed as little as 30% of the total nitrification activity in the basin, and after temperatures dropped below 20 °C, AOB activity in the fixed film phase made up 75% of the total activity in the IFAS basin. During the warmest period of the summer, the media still retained more than 60% of the total NOB activity, and more than 90% of the total NOB activity during the period of coldest water temperature. This trend also points out that some AOB and NOB activity remained in the mixed liquor, even during the coldest periods. The retention of nitrification activity in the mixed liquor indicates that the constant sloughing of biomass off of the carriers allowed for autotrophic activity, even during washout conditions. Carrier biomass content and nitrification rates on the IFAS media remained constant along the length of the basin, indicating that the IFAS tank is will mixed with respect to biomass growth, although there was a concentration gradient for soluble species (NH₄-N, NO₂-N, NO₃-N). In addition to the weekly nitrification rate measurements, experiments were also conducted to determine how operational inputs such as dissolved oxygen (DO) and mixing affect the nitrification rates. Mixing intensity had a clear impact on nitrification rates by increasing the velocity gradient in the bulk liquid and decreasing the mass transfer boundary layer mass transfer resistance. At higher mixing intensities, advection through the mass transfer boundary layer increased making substrate more available to the biofilm. The affect of mixing was much more profound at low DO, whereas increased mixing had less effect on nitrification rates at higher bulk liquid DO. DO also affected nitrification rates, such that as DO increased it penetrated deeper into the biofilm increasing the nitrification rate in a linear fashion until the biofilm became saturated. Another aspect of the research was modeling effective half saturation effects for AOB and NOB activity in the fixed film phase. The modeling work demonstrated that KS for AOB activity on the media was similar to accepted suspended growth KS values, while KS for NOB activity on the media was considerably higher than suspended growth KS. This trend indicates that nitrite was not as bioavailable in the biofilm and resists diffusion into the deeper part of the biofilm where NOB activity takes place. KO for both AOB and NOB activity in the biofilm was higher than typical suspended growth values because of boundary layer and biofilm diffusion resistances. In addition, the presence of readily degradable organics did not significantly affect nitrification rates on the media, but did reduce nitrification rates in the mixed liquor. That, combined with low chemical oxygen demand (COD) uptake rates indicates that little heterotrophic activity is occurring on the media. / Master of Science

The hybrid activated sludge-biofilm system called Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) has recently become popular for enhanced nitrification and denitrification in aerobic zones because it is an alternative to increasing the volume of treatment plant units to accomplish year round nitrification and nitrogen removal. Biomass is retained on the fixed-film media and remains in the aerobic reactor, thus increasing the effective mean cell resident time (MCRT) of the biomass and providing the temperature sensitive, slow growing nitrifiers a means of staying in the system when they otherwise would washout. While the utilization of media in aerobic zones to enhance nitrification and denitrification has been the subject of several studies and full-scale experiments, the effects and performances of fixed film media integrated into the anoxic zones of biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems have not adequately been evaluated as well as the impacts of integrated media upon enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). Also, user-friendly software designed specifically to simulate the complex mixture of biological processes that occur in IFAS systems are not available. The purpose of this research was to more fully investigate the effects of integrated fixed film media on EBPR, to evaluate the impacts of media integrated into the anoxic zone on system performance, and to develop a software program that could be used to simulate the effects of integrating the various types of media into suspended growth biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems. The UCT type configuration was chosen for the BNR system, and Accuweb rope-like media was selected for integration into the anoxic zones of two IFAS systems. The media also was integrated into the aerobic reactors of one of the systems for comparison and for further investigation of the performance of the Accuweb media on enhanced nitrification and denitrification in the aerobic zones. The experiments were conducted at 10 day total MCRT during the initial phase, and then at 6 days MCRT for the experimental temperature of 10 oC. A13 hour hydraulic retention time (HRT) was used throughout the study. A high and a low COD/TP ratio were used during the investigation to further study the effects of integrated media on EBPR. The PC Windows based IFAS program began with the concepts of IAWQ model No. 2 and a zero-dimensional biofilm model was developed and added to predict the IFAS processes. Experimental data from the initial study and existing data from similar studies performed at high temperatures (>10oC) indicated that there were no significant differences in BNR performances between IFAS systems with media integrated into the anoxic and aerobic or only aerobic zones and a suspended growth control system maintained at the same relative high MCRT and temperature values. Even though greater biological nitrogen removal could not be achieved for the experimental conditions used, the experimental results indicated that the IFAS systems with fixed film media installed in the anoxic zone have a greater potential for denitrification than conventional BNR systems. As much as 30 percent of the total denitrification was observed to occur in the aerobic zones of the system installed the media only anoxic zones and 37% in the system with integrated media in both anoxic and aerobic zones where as no denitrification was observed in the aerobic zones of the control system when the systems were operated at 6 days MCRT and COD/TP of 52. It is statistically confirmed EBPR can be maintained in IFAS systems as well as Control systems, but the IFAS processes tend to have more phosphorus release in the anoxic zones with integrated fixed film installed. Further, the combination of split flow to the anoxic zone and fixed film media in the anoxic zone resulted in the decreased EBPR performances in the IFAS system relative to the control system. / Ph. D.

Partial denitrification/anammox (PdNA) is an emerging biological nutrient removal (BNR) process that can be used to remove ammonia (NH3) and NOx from wastewater. This process is a combination of partial denitrification (PdN), which serves to reduce nitrate (NO3) to nitrite (NO2), and anaerobic ammonia oxidation, or anammox (AMX), which uses the nitrite as an electron acceptor to oxidize ammonia. PdNA provides significant aeration and external carbon savings when compared to the conventional nitrification/denitrification biological removal process for nitrogen but has been difficult to implement in mainstream treatment conditions due to many factors. One of these factors is the slow growth rate and startup time of anammox bacteria. This research first focused on determining the required startup time and startup optimization methods for a proposed mainstream polishing PdNA MBBR at Hampton Roads Sanitation District's James River Treatment Plant (JRTP). These two MBBRs were started with either virgin carriers or carriers coated with a preliminary biofilm and were fed secondary effluent The MBBRs were dosed with glycerol based on a feedforward carbon control approach and were not seeded with anammox at any point. Anammox activity was detected in the preliminary biofilm and virgin media MBBRs approximately 52 and 86 days after startup, respectively. Based on these results, starting up a mainstream PdNA reactor without seed is possible, and using preliminary biofilm carriers can speed up startup by approximately one month. A second experiment was conducted to determine the carbon demand and nitrogen removal capabilities of a glycerol fed PdNA MBBR and AMX MBBR in series. A nitrifying MBBR was also added to the MBBR train to test how well residual nitrite leaving the MBBRs could be polished off to limit ozone/disinfectant demand downstream. Additionally, a methanol-fed PdNA integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor was also operated to determine the carbon demand and nitrogen removal capabilities for a PdNA process in an IFAS reactor. The PdNA and AMX MBBRs had average effluent TIN concentrations of 3.75 ± 1.25 and 2.81 ± 1.21 mg TIN/L, respectively, with a COD dosed per TIN removed ratio (COD/TIN) of 2.42 ± 0.77 g COD/g TIN for the entire process. The PdNA IFAS reactor had average effluent TIN concentrations of 4.07 ± 1.66 mg/L and 3.30 ± 0.96 mg/L at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 30 and 25 minutes. At these two HRTs, the PdNA IFAS process had a COD/TIN ratio of 1.08 ± 0.38 and 2.18 ± 0.99 g COD/g TIN, respectively. Overall, this indicated that both the PdNA MBBR and IFAS processes could reach low effluent TIN limits in mainstream conditions with low demand for COD, even with relatively low and unstable PdN efficiencies. Additionally, the nitrifying MBBR managed to keep the effluent nitrite concentration consistently below 0.5 mg/L at ammonia and nitrite influent loadings rates of 0.055 ± 0.035 and 0.379 ± 0.112 g N/m2/day. This research demonstrated that starting a PdNA process in mainstream conditions, without seed, can be accomplished within a reasonable timeframe and provides knowledge that can help engineers better understand the advantages of PdNA and design and startup mainstream polishing PdNA MBBRs and IFAS reactors. / Master of Science / As the human population continues to grow and wastewater discharge requirements continue to become more stringent, researchers and engineers have been exploring new technologies and methods to treat wastewater more efficiently. Once such method that is currently being explored is the integration of anaerobic ammonia oxidation, or anammox (AMX), bacteria with a variety of wastewater treatment technologies to remove nitrogen more efficiently from wastewater. AMX synchronously remove ammonia, which exists naturally in wastewater, and nitrite through an oxidation/reduction reaction in which the nitrogen leaves the wastewater in the form of dinitrogen gas. This process greatly reduces the amount of aeration and external carbon needed for the removal of nitrogen from wastewater compared to the commonly used method of full nitrification and denitrification, which are large operational costs at a wastewater treatment plant. While AMX have found use at full-scale plants in treating concentrated sidestreams with the use of partial nitrification (PN) to produce nitrite for the AMX, little progress has been made to integrate AMX into a full-scale mainstream treatment process where the stream is less concentrated and not ideal for consistent PN. Partial denitrification (PdN), however, has shown some promise in reliably producing nitrite in mainstream conditions for AMX usage. On top of the demand for nitrite, AMX bacteria also grow very slowly compared to most bacteria, which means these processes require relatively large amounts of time to get started. A common strategy for decreasing the startup time of AMX processes has been the addition of AMX biomass to a reactor during startup, but this is not feasible in a full-scale mainstream process due to the large amount of biomass that would be required. Therefore, other methods for startup optimization must be evaluated, which this study sought to do through two startup experiments in separate mainstream polishing moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), which use plastic carriers to develop biofilms of bacteria. These two MBBRs were started with different types of carriers in them, one with carriers coated with a pre-established preliminary biofilm and one with brand-new, virgin carriers, to see what kind of effect these different types of carriers have on AMX startup time. AMX activity was detected in the preliminary biofilm and virgin media MBBRs approximately 52 and 86 days after startup, respectively, which was much quicker than expected. This indicates that starting up a mainstream PdNA reactor without seed is possible and using the preliminary biofilm carriers can speed up startup by approximately one month. After the startup experiment, one of the MBBRs was converted to a PdNA integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor through the addition of activated sludge. This PdNA IFAS reactor was operated alongside a PdNA MBBR and AMX MBBR to test their nitrogen removal and carbon savings capabilities. Operation of these reactors demonstrated that both a PdNA MBBR or IFAS process are capable of consistently removing nitrogen to low levels with relatively low amounts of external carbon addition, even with inconsistent PdN. Overall, this research provided valuable insight into startup methods and design requirements of PdNA MBBRs and IFAS reactors which will make the implementation of these treatment processes more feasible.

Partial denitrification anammox (PdNA) is an emerging wastewater treatment technology with the potential to increase process capacity and save on energy and carbon. PdNA circumvents potential issues with stability of the more familiar mainstream partial nitritation anammox (PNA) process. The PdNA process can be used to effectively remove ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite from mainstream municipal waste streams. To retain slow growing anammox, some sort of retention system is needed with media being a common solution to this problem. PdNA has been successfully implemented in mainstream full-scale systems in sand filters and with moving media. The goal of this study was to assess the denitrifying capabilities, anammox treatment capacity, and effective surface area to volume of two types of fixed media. A nitrifying pilot was set up to assess the effective surface area to volume. To assess the nitrifying and anammox ammonia removal capabilities of the fixed media, a fixed media PdNA system was installed in the second anoxic zone of a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant. The fixed media system consisted of three modules of sheets modified to mimic a plug flow system. After accounting for the estimated nitrate removal from mixed liquor, denitrification rates normalized to media surface area were 0.52 +/- 1.9 g/m2-day in the first module, 0.62 +/- 0.91 g/m2-day for the second module, and 0.56 +/- 0.90 g/m2-day for the third module. In ex situ batch testing it was found that maximum ex-situ anammox ammonia removal rates for the / Master of Science / Urban population growth has created a two-pronged problem for wastewater treatment plants. Plants in populated areas are seeing increases in flow along with growing space restrictions that limit new infrastructure construction. Additionally, rising environmental awareness from the public has spurred regulatory agencies to impose tighter limits on the quality of water leaving plants and entering sensitive watersheds. These factors have driven a need for treatment techniques that allow plants to operate better with their existing equipment. Overall, this concept is known as process intensification. One such method that treatment plants are using to intensify wastewater treatment is the addition of plastic media into their existing tanks. This media provides additional surfaces for the microorganisms that biodegrade the pollutants in the wastewater to grow and allows waste to be treated faster in the same area. It also allows slow growing organisms to be retained in the system that would otherwise not have time to grow. Such slow-growing microbes are especially critical for the removal of ammonia, a toxic form of nitrogen that occurs in high concentrations in wastewater. The partial denitrification-anammox process is an intensification process that leverages microbial metabolisms to convert nitrate to nitrite instead of denitrifying the nitrate all the way to nitrogen gas. Plants then let more ammonia pass through the aeration zone, where ammonia is converted to nitrate. The bleed through ammonia and the nitrite generated from partial denitrification is used by microbes called anammox, which denitrify without the addition of carbon. The full denitrification process requires externally added carbon, which is energy intensive to produce and expensive, and aeration requires energy to run the aeration blowers. Bypassing the full denitrification process using PdNA results in two-fold cost and energy savings. The plastic media help slow-growing anammox bacteria attach and grow to achieve this aim. Most of the plants that use plastic media use media that is free floating in the tank. However, certain plants cannot use this floating plastic media because it can either plug up the system, or flow to the end of the treatment tank and have no way to get back to the front. In instances such as these it could be beneficial to use a type of media that is fixed in place. One potential use of fixed media that has never been tried before is with partial denitrification with anammox. This research sets out to evaluate the effectiveness of fixed media with use in a partial denitrification anammox process and compare it to a treatment tank of moving media that is present at the same plant to find out whether it may be a viable option for retrofitting plants that cannot use moving media.

Este trabalho foi teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho do tratamento aerado combinando biomassa aderida e suspensa, em diferentes condições de temperatura (25ºC, 27ºC, 45ºC e 55ºC), na remoção da matéria orgânica. Foi utilizada uma água residuária sintética simulando o efluente da indústria de geleias e compotas de frutas. Os dois reatores operados foram construídos em aço inox com diâmetro de 15 cm, 58,0 cm de altura e volume útil de 10,25 L, sendo 5,125 L preenchidos com meio suporte. O experimento se deu em duas fases. Na primeira (75 dias) o reator R1 foi operado a 25ºC e o R2 a 45ºC, na segunda (60 dias) a 27ºC e 55ºC, respectivamente. O TDH variou de 10,39h a 11,86h e a carga orgânica volumétrica aplicada de 2,82 kg.m-3.d-1 a 3,51 kg.m-3.d-1. As maiores eficiências de remoção de DQO foram observadas nos reatores R1(25ºC) e R2(45ºC): 80,27±11,97% e 78,41±6,41%, respectivamente. Estas médias não diferiram entre si. A colonização do meio suporte foi satisfatória, exceto a 55ºC onde se verificou a diminuição da aderência da biomassa. Foi observado o intumescimento do lodo nas duas fases experimentais, provavelmente devido à alta biodegradabilidade da água residuária, e um maior valor de SSV no efluente dos sistemas termofílicos. Os ensaios cinéticos apontaram para uma menor dependência do sistema na parcela suspensa da biomassa para a eficiência global. A análise do DGGE mostrou diminuição na diversidade entra a biomassa aderida do reator mesofílico (25ºC) e a biomassa aderida do reator termofílico (45ºC), entretanto, esta mudança não foi tão evidente de 45ºC para 55ºC. / The aim of this study was to investigate the attached and suspended biomass performance in the organic matter removal of a synthetic jams and jellies wastewater at different temperature (25ºC, 27ºC, 45ºC and 55ºC). Two stainless steel reactors, 15 cm diameter and 58 cm high were used. The working volume was 10,25 L and the support medium occupied 5,125 L. The experiment was developed in two stages. The first stage lasted 75 days, the R1 and R2 reactors operated at 25ºC and 45ºC, respectively. The second stage lasted 60 days and the reactors operated at 27ºC and 55ºC, respectively. The HRT ranged between 10,39h and 11,86h and the volumetric load between 2,82 kg.m-3.d-1 to 3,51 kg.m-3.d-1.The highest removal efficiencies of COD occurred in R1(25ºC) and R2(45ºC) reactors: 80,27±11,97% and 78,41±6,41%, respectively. These results were not statistically different. The colonization of the support medium was satisfactory, except at 55ºC, as in this condition it was observed decreased adhesion of biomass. Bulking occurred in both stages of the experiment, probably due to the high biodegradability of this wastewater, and a highest value of MLVSS in the effluent of the thermophilic systems. The kinect experiments appointed that the suspended biomass play a minor role in the global efficiency of the system. The DGGE analysis have shown reduction in diversity when the temperature increases from 25ºC to 45ºC, nevertheless, this change was not so clear from 45ºC to 55ºC.

O processo de tratamento de esgoto por lodo ativado pode ser adaptado para o recebimento de maior carga orgânica ou para a remoção de nitrogênio por meio da introdução de suportes plásticos móveis, em um processo conhecido por IFAS Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge. O objetivo do projeto é avaliar comparativamente os desempenhos dos sistemas de lodo ativado e IFAS na remoção de matéria orgânica e nitrogênio de esgoto doméstico, associados à variação da idade do lodo com referência na biomassa suspensa. O efeito da adição de suportes plásticos móveis em sistemas existentes de lodo ativado é avaliado como forma de subsidiar análises de viabilidade de emprego dessa solução para a ampliação e adaptação de estações de tratamento de esgotos domésticos. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em escala piloto, mantendo dois sistemas em funcionamento em paralelo, um representando um sistema de lodo ativado com remoção de nitrogênio e outro idêntico, exceto para a introdução dos suportes plásticos móveis. Desta forma, foi possível atribuir a diferença nos resultados à presença de biomassa aderida. Foram utilizados elementos suporte com área superficial específica de 300 m²/m³ e fração de enchimento de 50%. Ambos os sistemas foram mantidos em operação estável e eficiente, considerando a remoção de matéria orgânica. No entanto, o sistema IFAS teve melhor desempenho na remoção de nitrogênio em todas as fases experimentais, confirmando as vantagens antecipadas. Os resultados foram verificados em termos de taxas de aplicação previstas para cada porção de biomassa, de acordo com as idades do lodo estudadas. / The activated sludge wastewater treatment process can be retrofitted to either receive larger organic loads or for nitrogen removal by introducing plastic media carriers, in a process known as IFAS Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge. The project aims to comparatively assess the performances of activated sludge and IFAS systems in removing organic matter and nitrogen from domestic sewage, associated to the variation of the sludge age with reference to the suspended biomass. The effect of adding plastic media carriers on existing activated sludge systems is evaluated as a subsidy for prefeasibility analysis of using this solution for the upgrading and retrofitting of municipal wastewater treatment plants. The study was developed on a pilot scale, operating two systems in parallel, representing an activated sludge system with nitrogen removal and another identical system except for the introduction of plastic media carriers. Thus, it was possible to assign the difference in results to the presence of attached biomass. Carriers were used with 300 m²/m³ specific surface area and 50% filling fraction. Both systems were kept under stable and efficient operation considering the removal of organic matter. However, the IFAS system had better performance at removing nitrogen in all experimental phases, confirming the anticipated advantages. The results were verified in terms of application rates expected for each portion of biomass in accordance with the sludge ages studied.

Este trabalho foi teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho do tratamento aerado combinando biomassa aderida e suspensa, em diferentes condições de temperatura (25ºC, 27ºC, 45ºC e 55ºC), na remoção da matéria orgânica. Foi utilizada uma água residuária sintética simulando o efluente da indústria de geleias e compotas de frutas. Os dois reatores operados foram construídos em aço inox com diâmetro de 15 cm, 58,0 cm de altura e volume útil de 10,25 L, sendo 5,125 L preenchidos com meio suporte. O experimento se deu em duas fases. Na primeira (75 dias) o reator R1 foi operado a 25ºC e o R2 a 45ºC, na segunda (60 dias) a 27ºC e 55ºC, respectivamente. O TDH variou de 10,39h a 11,86h e a carga orgânica volumétrica aplicada de 2,82 kg.m-3.d-1 a 3,51 kg.m-3.d-1. As maiores eficiências de remoção de DQO foram observadas nos reatores R1(25ºC) e R2(45ºC): 80,27±11,97% e 78,41±6,41%, respectivamente. Estas médias não diferiram entre si. A colonização do meio suporte foi satisfatória, exceto a 55ºC onde se verificou a diminuição da aderência da biomassa. Foi observado o intumescimento do lodo nas duas fases experimentais, provavelmente devido à alta biodegradabilidade da água residuária, e um maior valor de SSV no efluente dos sistemas termofílicos. Os ensaios cinéticos apontaram para uma menor dependência do sistema na parcela suspensa da biomassa para a eficiência global. A análise do DGGE mostrou diminuição na diversidade entra a biomassa aderida do reator mesofílico (25ºC) e a biomassa aderida do reator termofílico (45ºC), entretanto, esta mudança não foi tão evidente de 45ºC para 55ºC. / The aim of this study was to investigate the attached and suspended biomass performance in the organic matter removal of a synthetic jams and jellies wastewater at different temperature (25ºC, 27ºC, 45ºC and 55ºC). Two stainless steel reactors, 15 cm diameter and 58 cm high were used. The working volume was 10,25 L and the support medium occupied 5,125 L. The experiment was developed in two stages. The first stage lasted 75 days, the R1 and R2 reactors operated at 25ºC and 45ºC, respectively. The second stage lasted 60 days and the reactors operated at 27ºC and 55ºC, respectively. The HRT ranged between 10,39h and 11,86h and the volumetric load between 2,82 kg.m-3.d-1 to 3,51 kg.m-3.d-1.The highest removal efficiencies of COD occurred in R1(25ºC) and R2(45ºC) reactors: 80,27±11,97% and 78,41±6,41%, respectively. These results were not statistically different. The colonization of the support medium was satisfactory, except at 55ºC, as in this condition it was observed decreased adhesion of biomass. Bulking occurred in both stages of the experiment, probably due to the high biodegradability of this wastewater, and a highest value of MLVSS in the effluent of the thermophilic systems. The kinect experiments appointed that the suspended biomass play a minor role in the global efficiency of the system. The DGGE analysis have shown reduction in diversity when the temperature increases from 25ºC to 45ºC, nevertheless, this change was not so clear from 45ºC to 55ºC.

O processo de tratamento de esgoto por lodo ativado pode ser adaptado para o recebimento de maior carga orgânica ou para a remoção de nitrogênio por meio da introdução de suportes plásticos móveis, em um processo conhecido por IFAS Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge. O objetivo do projeto é avaliar comparativamente os desempenhos dos sistemas de lodo ativado e IFAS na remoção de matéria orgânica e nitrogênio de esgoto doméstico, associados à variação da idade do lodo com referência na biomassa suspensa. O efeito da adição de suportes plásticos móveis em sistemas existentes de lodo ativado é avaliado como forma de subsidiar análises de viabilidade de emprego dessa solução para a ampliação e adaptação de estações de tratamento de esgotos domésticos. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em escala piloto, mantendo dois sistemas em funcionamento em paralelo, um representando um sistema de lodo ativado com remoção de nitrogênio e outro idêntico, exceto para a introdução dos suportes plásticos móveis. Desta forma, foi possível atribuir a diferença nos resultados à presença de biomassa aderida. Foram utilizados elementos suporte com área superficial específica de 300 m²/m³ e fração de enchimento de 50%. Ambos os sistemas foram mantidos em operação estável e eficiente, considerando a remoção de matéria orgânica. No entanto, o sistema IFAS teve melhor desempenho na remoção de nitrogênio em todas as fases experimentais, confirmando as vantagens antecipadas. Os resultados foram verificados em termos de taxas de aplicação previstas para cada porção de biomassa, de acordo com as idades do lodo estudadas. / The activated sludge wastewater treatment process can be retrofitted to either receive larger organic loads or for nitrogen removal by introducing plastic media carriers, in a process known as IFAS Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge. The project aims to comparatively assess the performances of activated sludge and IFAS systems in removing organic matter and nitrogen from domestic sewage, associated to the variation of the sludge age with reference to the suspended biomass. The effect of adding plastic media carriers on existing activated sludge systems is evaluated as a subsidy for prefeasibility analysis of using this solution for the upgrading and retrofitting of municipal wastewater treatment plants. The study was developed on a pilot scale, operating two systems in parallel, representing an activated sludge system with nitrogen removal and another identical system except for the introduction of plastic media carriers. Thus, it was possible to assign the difference in results to the presence of attached biomass. Carriers were used with 300 m²/m³ specific surface area and 50% filling fraction. Both systems were kept under stable and efficient operation considering the removal of organic matter. However, the IFAS system had better performance at removing nitrogen in all experimental phases, confirming the anticipated advantages. The results were verified in terms of application rates expected for each portion of biomass in accordance with the sludge ages studied.

Based on a diverse consortia of research completed within the last 15 years, it has been found that Pharmaceutical Compounds (PCs) are present in detectable levels within a variety of environmental matrices, including tap water. This is largely attributed to anthropogenic activities as humans are the majority consumer of PCs. As a result, the primary method of disposal is via wastewater pathways resulting from human excretion of ingested PCs. Based on past research into PC fate via the wastewater treatment process, only limited biotic and abiotic transformations are achieved – most PC’s are detected in the effluents of WWTP’s. This suggests that improving the removal of PCs during the wastewater treatment process provides a promising strategy for limiting the conveyance of PCs to the environment. Historically, studies regarding PC fate in WWTPs have predominantly focused on the activated sludge process. However, fixed film (biofilm) wastewater treatment technologies continue to gain popularity at full scale wastewater treatment facilities. The limited studies which investigated fixed film wastewater treatment processes have reported that improved transformation efficiencies were observed relative to activated sludge systems. Based on these previous studies, it was postulated that the more diverse bacterial consortium present within the Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) process, a novel treatment process which has recently gained popularity in North America, may lead to improved transformation efficiencies (“removals”) of these very complex compounds. Only one previous study which investigated the transformation efficiencies of the IFAS process compared to a control was found. It was therefore considered that an additional investigation into the IFAS process warrants further investigation. Four IFAS Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactors (SBBRs) and four control Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs) were operated with varied experimental conditions in a 22 factorial design to investigate whether an observable difference in the level of PC transformations would result via the IFAS process when compared to a control. Experimental conditions were characterized by varying the operating Solids Retention Time (SRT) and mixed liquor temperature. For all other operational parameters, best efforts were made to ensure both reactors were operated under equivalent conditions. This permitted a true assessment of the effects of the inclusion of IFAS media. Reactors were investigated through three phases of sampling, under which the performance of the reactors was investigated through the measurement of the following parameters: • Conventional parameters (tCOD, sCOD, TAN, NO3-N) within the initial and final samples; • Operational parameters (MLSS, MLVSS, ESS); and • The transformation efficiencies achieved for 5 PC (Carbamazepine, Sulfamethoxazole, Trimethoprim, Atenolol and Acetaminophen). During all three phases of PC sampling, the pilot reactors were found to have been performing as anticipated with respect to conventional contaminant removals. Organic removals were found to be statistically similar between the IFAS and control reactors across all four experimental conditions. Full nitrification was observed for all reactors with the exception of the control SBR operated under the low SRT, low temperature condition. The IFAS SBBRs were found to demonstrate improved nitrification kinetics when compared to their respective controls operated under the same experimental conditions. This was believed to be related to the more diverse bacterial consortia present as a result of the IFAS biofilms. All reactors were generally believed to be operating at steady state and were within an acceptable range of the target operating conditions. Due to complications associated with the analysis of samples, only CBZ, TRIM, ATEN and ACE could be successfully quantitated. CBZ was found to not have been transformed to any appreciable level across all conditions investigated through either the IFAS SBBRs or control SBRs. ACE was transformed at efficiencies greater than 99% under all conditions and in both IFAS and control reactors and therefore no comparison could be made. TRIM and ATEN demonstrated improved transformation efficiencies under all conditions within the IFAS reactors. The presence of IFAS media, SRT and temperature were all found to be statistically significant effects through ANOVA using a confidence limit of 95%.

O uso de aterros sanitários como forma de disposição dos resíduos sólidos urbanos constitui-se na alternativa mais usual tanto do ponto de vista econômico, como na correta disposição final do lixo. Entretanto, a geração de lixiviados permanece como uma inevitável consequência do uso de tal tecnologia. Das diversas alternativas de controle desse líquido percolado, destaca-se seu envio para estações de tratamento de esgoto sanitário. No presente estudo, avaliou-se o impacto causado pela introdução de cargas progressivas de lixiviado em conjunto com o esgoto sanitário em dois sistemas pilotos de tratamento: um de lodos ativados convencional e outro, um modelo híbrido do tipo IFAS (Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge). A pesquisa foi dividida em três fases, mantendo-se as mesmas condições operacionais e alterando, em cada fase, a contribuição de lixiviado na composição da carga afluente, em valores de 5 por cento , 10 por cento e 20 por cento em relação à carga de DBO5,20. Os resultados obtidos a partir da investigação experimental permitiram concluir que o aumento progressivo da carga advinda do lixiviado não provocou redução na eficiência de tratamento em ambos os sistemas, em nenhuma fase da pesquisa. Obtiveram-se, para o processo IFAS, índices de remoção de matéria orgânica, expressos em DBO, da ordem de 87 por cento com a contribuição de 5 por cento e 10 por cento de lixiviado e de 80 por cento com 20 por cento de lixiviado; no processo de lodos ativados, tanto com 10 por cento e 20 por cento de carga de lixiviado, a eficiência foi de 80 por cento , os resultados referentes à fase de 5 por cento , nesse processo, foram prejudicados em decorrência de problemas operacionais. Em relação à oxidação de compostos nitrogenados, expressos em termos de NTK, observaram-se para o processo IFAS remoções acima de 90 por cento em todas as fases, indicando que a nitrificação ocorreu de forma satisfatória. No processo de lodos ativados, os índices de remoção foram de 72 por cento com 5 por cento de lixiviado e de 65 por cento com 10 por cento e 20 por cento , indicando um rendimento abaixo do esperado. Estudos relativos à composição da biomassa presente em ambos os processos não revelaram aspectos que as diferenciem significativamente em termos quantitativo; tão poucos indicaram alterações provocadas na microfauna em função da adição da carga de lixiviado. Os coeficientes cinéticos referentes ao metabolismo heterotrófico não apresentaram variações em função do aumento da contribuição do lixiviado, mantendo-se semelhantes aos encontrados na literatura; já os valores obtidos para constante máxima de crescimento (m) das bactérias nitritantes apontaram uma redução em torno de 76 por cento e 41 por cento para os processos de lodos ativados e IFAS, respectivamente, quando comparados com dados relativos à fase preliminar, sem adição de lixiviado; tal fato, contudo, não provocou interrupção ou inibição no rendimento da nitrificação. Ensaios de toxicidade aguda demonstraram significativa redução deste potencial em relação ao afluente, sobretudo, no processo IFAS, sendo que a técnica Microtox® mostrou-se mais sensível do que o teste com microcrustáceo Daphnia similis. Em linhas gerais, o processo IFAS demonstrou um desempenho superior em termos de eficiência de remoção tanto de matéria orgânica como nitrogenada, bem como maior estabilidade operacional. / The utilization of landfills as an urban solid waste management technology constitutes an economically viable alternative of final waste disposal. However, the generation of contaminated leachate remains as an inevitable consequence of this technology. Among various treatment alternatives for that percolated liquid, a major one is sending it to a wastewater treatment plant. The present paper evaluated the impact caused by the introduction of progressive leachate loads together with domestic sewage in two pilot scale treatment plants: an activated sludge plant and a hybrid model type IFAS (Integrated fixed-film activated sludge) plant. The research was divided into 3 phases, maintaining the same operation conditions in both pilot plants and changing at each phase the amount of leachate in the composition of the influent to percent values of 5 per cent , 10 per cent and 20 per cent . Results obtained from the experimental investigation demonstrated that the leachate load did not cause inhibition of the treatment process in both pilots, at any phase of the research. For the IFAS process, removal rates of organic matter in terms of BOD were on the order of 87 per cent with leachate contributions of 5 per cent and 10 per cent , and 80 per cent with 20 per cent of leachate contribution. Regarding the activated sludge process, at both 10 per cent and 20 per cent of leachate load, the BOD removal efficiency was 80 per cent . The results from the 5 per cent leachate contribution phase were not available due to operational problems. Regarding nitrogen removal, in terms of NTK, a removal efficiency over 90 per cent was observed for the IFAS process in all phases, showing that nitrification occurred in a satisfactory way; as for the activated sludge process, the removal rates were 72 per cent with 5 per cent of leachate contribution and 65 per cent with 10 and 20 per cent leachate contributions, results lower than expected. The study of the biomass composition did not show aspects that differ significantly in quantitative terms for both processes; and it did not show any changes in the micro fauna due to the leachate addition. The kinetic coefficients related to the heterotrophic metabolism did not present variation due to the increase of leachate addition, being similar to those found in the literature. On the other hand, the obtained values for the maximum growth rate (m) of nitrifying bacteria pointed to reductions of about 76 per cent and 41 per cent for the activated sludge and IFAS processes, respectively, when compared with data related to the preliminary phase, without leachate addition. This fact, however, did not cause disruption or inhibition to affect the nitrification yield. Acute toxicity assays demonstrated significant reduction of this potential relative to affluent, especially on the IFAS process, and the Microtox® technique appeared to be more sensitive. In a more general way, the IFAS process presented a better performance than the activated sludge process in terms of removal efficiencies of organic and nitrogenous matter, as well as higher operating stability.