Reducing of excess sludge production in wastewater treatment using combined anaerobic/aerobic submerged biological filters

In this research, possibility of reducing excess sludge production in wastewater treatment was investigated using a combined anaerobic and aerobic submerged biological filter in a pilot scale. The physical model designed, erected and operated consisted of two pipes of PVC type with 147mm and 237mm diameter used as aerobic and anaerobic filters, respectively. The effective height of porous media in these filters was 70cm. Two filters were connected to eachother in a series form and the resulted system was loaded using synthetic wastewater based on sucrose in the range of 1.91 to 30.61 kg/m[3] for anaerobic filter and 1.133 to 53.017 kg/m[3] for aerobic filter. For similar loadings, the aerobic filter showed efficiency of 1.8 times that of anaerobic filter in removal of soluble COD. Return of 100% flow from the aerobic filter to the anaerobic filter for 30kg/m[3].d of organic loading increased the efficiencies of the anaerobic filter, the aerobic filter and the combined system as 17%, 14% and 15%, respectively and the effect of the return of the flow was more pronounced in smaller hydraulic retention times and larger loadings. 100% return of the flow reduced the yield coefficient for the whole system to 0.037 for 53 kg/m[3] loading which is a suitable value with regard to the scheme and no use of chemical materials such as chlorine and ozone. This coefficient reached a value as small as 0.007 in common loadings [7.5kg/m[3] for 100% return of the flow which is very close to zero. So, this method could be considered as a complete biological treatment with low excess sludge and could be assessed in full scale

Distribución de bacterias potencialmente fijadoras de nitrógeno y su relación con parámetros fisicoquímicos en suelos con tres coberturas vegetales en el sur de la Amazonia colombiana

Distribution of potentially nitrogen-fixing bacteria and its relationship with physicochemical parameters in soils with three vegetation types in the southern Colombian Amazon region. Potentially nitrogen-fixing microaerobic and aerobic bacteria were isolated from several Colombian Amazon soils (forest, pastures and chagras) and two landscapes (floodable and non floodable areas). The abundance and distribution of bacteria were evaluated, as well as their relationship with soil physical and chemical characteristics. Landscape had a direct influence on the abundance of the microaerobic bacteria, with higher numbers in forest and pasture soils in non- floodable zones. The aerobic isolates (N=51) were grouped into 19 morphologies, with the highest numbers found in forest soil in floodable zones. A higher number of aerobic morphologies was shared among forest sites (Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling and Analysis of Similarity p<0.05), and 40% of the distribution was explained by lime percentage and Al concentration. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (4): 915- 927. Epub 2009 December 01.

Se evaluó la abundancia y distribución de bacterias microaerófilas y aerobias potencialmente fijadoras de nitrógeno aisladas a partir de suelos bajo coberturas de bosque, pastizal y chagra en dos paisajes, terraza y llanura inundable, en el sur de trapecio amazónico. Se relacionó el recuento en placa en el medio Ashby de estas bacterias aerobias con las características físicas y químicas del suelo. Se encontró mayor abundancia de bacterias aerobias y microaerofilas en suelos bajo cobertura de pastizal. Se observó influencia directa del paisaje sobre la abundancia de bacterias microaerófilas registrando mayores recuentos los suelos bajo terraza en las coberturas de bosque y pastizal. Los aislamientos aerobios obtenidos (51) se agruparon en 19 morfologías, de las cuales se obtuvo mayor número en suelos bajo bosque y en el paisaje de llanura inundable. A través del análisis multidimensional no métrico (NMDS) y análisis de similaridades (ANOSIM) (p<0.05) se comprobó que entre los sitios de muestreo bajo la cobertura de bosque se comparten mayor número de morfologías de bacterias aerobias que bajo las demás coberturas. El programa BIOENV indicó que esta distribución fue explicada en un 40% por las variables % limo y Al (meq/100 g).

Evaluation of specific biological heat potential of oily wastewater in an autothermal thermophilic aerobic treatment system.

This study focuses on the specific biological heat potential (h(b)) of oil and grease wastewaterin an autothermal thermophilic aerobic treatment (ATAT) system. A novel experimental device was applied to evaluate h(b) by using heat balance model under steady state. In the study the treatment system was daily fed with realistic and artificial wastewater at 11250 and 17420 mg COD l(-1), respectively. The wastewater was rich in oil and grease at 1220 and 600 mg l(-1), respectively. The sludge retention time (SRT) was controlled at 5 days. The results showed that the average values of h(b) were 3.7 and 3.1 kcal g(-1) COD removed and the true growth yield (Y0) were 0.10 and 0.13 mg MLSS mg(-1) COD for realistic and artificial wastewater respectively. These two systems could maintain reactoroperating temperatures at 43 degrees C and 48 degrees C, respectively. The COD removal efficiency was as high as 90 to 97%. The oil and grease reduction was 68 to 72%. The high organic matter removal capacity and low sludge yield of ATAT process have been demonstrated.

The potential use of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria for treating latex rubber sheet wastewater

A total of 92 isolates of the purple non sulphur photosynthetic bacteria (PNSB) were isolated from 23 samples of wastewater obtained from rubber sheet manufacturing processes from various places of southern, Thailand. The isolate DK6 had the best potential for use in wastewater treatment as it can out-compete indigenous strains of PNSB when grown with them under conditions of microaerobic-light conditions. The isolate DK6 was identified as being most closely allied to Rhodopseudomonas blastica. The optimal pH and temperature for cell growth were between 6.5-7.5 and 30ºC, respectively. Optimum growth of DK6 was obtained after supplementing the wastewater from a latex rubber sheet processing plant with 0.50 percent (NH4)2SO4 and 1 mg/L nicotinic acid under conditions of microaerobic-light (3000 lux). Using these optimum conditions for growth, indigenous microorganisms reduced the initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the wastewater from 7,328 to 3371 mg/L a reduction of 54 percent and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (initial BOD 4967 mg/L) by 70 percent. Using the same conditions and either a pure culture of DK6 or a mixed culture (DK6 plus indigenous microorganisms) a reduction of 90 percent of both COD and BOD was achieved. Chemical analysis of the cultures after treatment of the enriched wastewater shows that the protein content of the pure DK6 was 65.2 percent of the dry weight, and in mixed culture the protein content was 66.7 percent. Hence, single cell protein (SCP) may be a possible bi- product of the treatment process.

Using respirometer in biodegradation phenomenon of natural organic matters.

This study conducted in monitoring respirometer oxygen consumption of aerobic microorganism during biodegradation processes of ozonated organic matters, which can estimate both biodegraded efficiency and coefficient of natural organic matters (NOMs) in water source. It can be proposed that different ozone dosage might change biodegradation characteristics of organic matters. The result reveals that higher ozone dosage may cause higher biomass yield coefficient of microorganism, and cultured microorganism may easily utilize biodegradation organic matters (BOMs) produced by ozonation, finally increasing overall removal efficiency. Therefore, using respirometer to evaluate the production of BOMs by ozonation before the biological treatment is effective for controling ozone dosage and enhancement of NOMs removal by biological processes.

Uso del ácido sebácico en la identificación de bacterias anaerobias por cromatografía en fase gaseosa (CGL) / Use of sebacic acid for the identification of anaerobic bacteria by gas phase chromatography (GLC)

Se llévo a cabo el análisis por cromatografía gas-líquido (CGL) de los ácidos grasos volátiles prodicidos por fermentación en 25 cepas de bacterias anaerobias procedentes de diversos materiales clínicos y de colecciones. Las mismas habían sido previamente identificadas por sus propiedades micorscópicas, morfológicas y bioquímicas. Los perfiles de los ácidos grasos de cadena corta fueron determinaods mediante el suo de una columna de ácido sebácio. Se diseño de esta manera una técnica rápida y sensible que puede contribuir al diagnóstico presuntivo inicial, a la identificación de especies bioquímicamente muy relacionadas y a la tipificación de bacterias de dificil diferenciación por pruebas bioquímicas convencionales dada su escasa actividad metabólica

Avaliaçäo da concentraçäo inibitória mínima da ceftriaxona e de aminoglicosídeos em enterobactérias em condiçöes aeróbicas e anaeróbicas / Evaluation of minimal inhibitory concentration of ceftriaxone and aminoglycosides against enterobacteria under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Alguns trabalhos têm demonstrado que os aminoglicosídeos apresentam uma reduçäo in vitro de sua atividade frente às enterobactérias e ao S. aureus em meios anaeróbicos. O objetivo do estudo foi o de comprovar a atividade da ceftriaxona, netilmicina e gentamicina em 30 cepas de enterobactérias isoladas de infecçöes intra e extra-hospitalares, em condiçöes de anaerobiose e aerobiose. O método para a determinaçäo da MIC foi o da diluiçäo. Os resultados demonstram que a netilmicina e gentamicina perdem (em algumas cepas) a sua atividade em condiçöes de anaerobiose, o mesmo näo ocorrendo com a ceftriaxona. Esses achados sugerem que a ceftriaxona deve ser o antibiótico de eleiçäo, nas infecçöes causadas por enterobactérias onde se suspeite de baixos níveis de oxigênio