Pressurized hydrogenotrophic denitrification reactor for small water systems.

The implementation of hydrogenotrophic denitrification is limited due to safety concerns, poor H2 utilization and low solubility of H2 gas with the resulting low transfer rate. The current paper presents the main research work conducted on a pressurized hydrogenotrophic reactor for denitrification that was recently developed. The reactor is based on a new concept suggesting that a gas-liquid equilibrium is achieved in the closed headspace of denitrifying reactor, further produced N2 gas is carried out by the effluent and gas purging is not required. The feasibility of the proposed reactor was shown for two effluent concentrations of 10 and 1 mg NO3--N/L. Hydrogen gas utilization efficiencies of 92.8% and 96.9% were measured for the two effluent concentrations, respectively. Reactor modeling predicted high denitrification rates above 4 g NO3--N/(Lreactor·d) at reasonable operational conditions. Hydrogen utilization efficiency was improved up to almost 100% by combining the pressurized reactor with a following open-to-atmosphere polishing unit. Also, the potential of the reactor to remove ClO4- was shown.

Submerged bed versus unsaturated flow reactor: A pressurized hydrogenotrophic denitrification reactor as a case study.

The paper compares the main features of a submerged bed reactor (SuBR) with bubbling and recirculation of gas to those of an unsaturated flow reactor (uSFR) with liquid recirculation. A novel pressurized closed-headspace hydrogenotrophic denitrification system characterized by safe and economic utilization of H2 gas was used for the comparison. Under similar conditions, denitrification rates were lower in the SuBR as a result of a lower effective biofilm surface area and overall gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient kLa. Similar values of effluent DOC were achieved for both reactors, although effluent suspended solids concentration of the SuBR were substantially higher. On the other hand, the required cleaning frequency in the SuBR was 2.5 times lower. Moreover, the SuBR is expected to reduce the recirculation energy consumption by 0.35 kWh/m(3) treated.

Effect of high electron donor supply on dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathways in a bioreactor for nitrate removal.

The possible shift of a bioreactor for NO3(-) removal from predominantly denitrification (DEN) to dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) by elevated electron donor supply was investigated. By increasing the C/NO3(-) ratio in one of two initially identical reactors, the production of high sulfide concentrations was induced. The response of the dissimilatory NO3(-) reduction processes to the increased availability of organic carbon and sulfide was monitored in a batch incubation system. The expected shift from a DEN- towards a DNRA-dominated bioreactor was not observed, also not under conditions where DNRA would be thermodynamically favorable. Remarkably, the microbial community exposed to a high C/NO3(-) ratio and sulfide concentration did not use the most energy-gaining process.

Storage-based denitrification with municipal wastewater: influence of the denitrification stage duration.

Microbial polyhydroxyalkenoates (PHAs) degradation is the rate limiting step for denitrification which is based on microbial carbon storage. The influence ofdenitrification stage duration (3, 2 and 1.5 h) on PHA degradation kinetics and denitrification efficiency during PHA-based denitrification ofmunicipal wastewater and acetate-based synthetic wastewater was investigated. PHA degradation kinetics showed a good fit to first-order reaction, with higher rates at higher PHA concentrations. Decreasing the denitrification stage duration from 3 to 2 h resulted in an increase in biomass PHA content with the corresponding higher specific denitrification rate. Moreover, the daily denitrification rates increased by about 30% in both the acetate fed reactor and the wastewater fed reactor. Further decreasing the denitrification stage duration to 1.5 h resulted in a decrease in sludge PHA content in both reactors. The amount of filtered chemical oxygen demand removed by storage and PHA stored, remained similar regardless of the denitrification stage duration.

The contribution of suspended solids to municipal wastewater PHA-based denitrification.

The role of wastewater suspended solids in denitrification based on intracellular carbon storage was investigated in a biofilm sequencing batch reactor performing alternately anaerobic carbon storage and denitrification. Municipal wastewater as the feeding was compared with filtered wastewater and with acetate. The results show that the amount of PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) stored during a cycle was quite similar, irrespective of the substrate type used as feeding (acetate, real wastewater and real wastewater after filtration). PHA storage was limited even under excess chemical oxygen demand (COD) conditions, with a reducing power capacity enough for denitrification of only 25-26 mg/L N. However, when non-filtered wastewater was used, the denitrification capacity was about 50% higher (38 mg/L N) due to the contribution of entrapped suspended solids as the electron donor. In addition, the involvement of the hydrolyzed wastewater suspended solids resulted in a different PHA composition containing a much higher poly-3-hydroxyvalerate content.

Characterization of denitrifying granular sludge with and without the addition of external carbon source.

In this study granular sludge taken from a denitrifying upflow sludge reactor was characterized. Denitrification rates were determined in batch tests with and without external carbon source addition and pH microprofiles of the granules were studied. The microbial community structure was also determined. The results showed that denitrification without carbon source addition occurs; however, the process rate was lower than with external carbon source. This suggests that bacteria use dead biomass and extracellular material in the granular sludge as a carbon source when readily available substrate has been exhausted and nitrate is still present. Microprofiles showed a slight pH decrease for denitrification without external carbon source addition, and an increase in pH when using nitrite as the electron acceptor. Microprofiles using acetate as the carbon source for denitrification showed a significant increase in pH. Clone sequences obtained were close to the species Vitellibacter sp., Denitromonas indolicum str. and Denitromonas aromaticaus sp.

Encapsulation of Pseudomonas sp. ADP cells in electrospun microtubes for atrazine bioremediation.

Electrospun hollow polymeric microfibers (microtubes) were evaluated as an encapsulation method for the atrazine degrading bacterium Pseudomonas sp. ADP. Pseudomonas sp. ADP cells were successfully incorporated in a formulation containing a core solution of polyethylene oxide dissolved in water and spun with an outer shell solution made of polycaprolactone and polyethylene glycol dissolved in a chloroform and dimethylformamide. The resulting microtubes, collected as mats, were partially collapsed with a ribbon-like structure. Following encapsulation, the atrazine degradation rate was low (0.03 ± 0.01 mg atrazine/h/g fiber) indicating that the electrospinning process negatively affected cell activity. Atrazine degradation was restored to 0.5 ± 0.1 mg atrazine/h/g fiber by subjecting the microtubes to a period of growth. After 3 and 7 days growth periods, encapsulated cells were able to remove 20.6 ± 3 and 47.6 ± 5.9 mg atrazine/g mat, respectively, in successive batches under non-growth conditions (with no additional electron donor) until atrazine was detected in the medium. The loss of atrazine degrading capacity was regained following an additional cell-growth period.

An integrated UASB-sludge digester system for raw domestic wastewater treatment in temperate climates.

To improve the performance of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating raw domestic wastewater under temperate climates conditions, the addition of a sludge digester to the process was investigated. With the decrease in temperature, the COD removal decreased from 78% at 28 °C to 42% at 10 °C for the UASB reactor operating alone at a hydraulic retention time of 6 h. The decrease was attributed to low hydrolytic activity at lower temperatures that reduced suspended matter degradation and resulted in solids accumulation in the top of the sludge blanket. Solids removed from the upper part of the UASB sludge were treated in an anaerobic digester. Based on sludge degradation kinetics at 30 °C, a digester of 0.66 l per liter of UASB reactor was design operating at a 3.20 days retention time. Methane produced by the sludge digester is sufficient to maintain the temperature at 30 °C.

Anaerobic degradation pathway and kinetics of domestic wastewater at low temperatures.

The effect of temperatures below 20 degrees C (20, 15 and 10 degrees C) on the anaerobic degradation pathway and kinetics of domestic wastewater fractionated at different sizes was studied in a fluidized-bed batch reactor. The overall degradation pathway was characterized by a soluble fraction degrading according to zero-order kinetics and a colloidal fraction (between 0.45 and 4.5 microm) that first disintegrates into a particulate fraction smaller than 0.45 microm before finally degrading. The colloidal degradation processes follow a first-order kinetic. In contrast, suspended solids (bigger than 4.5 microm) degrade to soluble and colloidal fractions according to first-order kinetics. The colloidal fraction originating from suspended solids further degrades into soluble fraction. These soluble fractions have the same degradation kinetics as the original soluble fraction. The suspended solids degradation was highly affected by temperature, whereas the soluble fraction slightly affected and the colloidal fraction was not affected at all. On the other hand, the colloidal non-degradable fraction increased significantly with the decrease in temperature while the suspended solids slowly increased. The soluble non-degradable fraction was little affected by temperatures changes.