ABSTRACT
A laboratory-scale moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) with a volume of 4 L was used to study the biodegradation of coal gasification wastewater. Maximum removal efficiencies of 81%, 89%, 94% and 93% were obtained for COD, phenols, SCN(-) and NH(4)(+)-N, respectively. NO(2)(-)-N accumulation induced increase of effluent COD concentration when the hydraulic residence time (HRT) decreased. Phenols removal was not affected when the HRT decreased from 48 to 32 h. Effluent SCN(-) and NH(4)(+)-N concentration increased with the decrease of the HRT, and decreased gradually when the HRT returned to 48 h. Batch experiments were carried out to study performance of the suspended and attached growth biomass in the MBBR.
Subject(s)
Biofilms , Bioreactors , Coal , Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods , Water Pollutants, Chemical/metabolism , Water Purification/methods , Biodegradation, Environmental , Nitrification , Phenols/metabolism , Quaternary Ammonium Compounds/metabolism , Thiocyanates/metabolismABSTRACT
The performance and nitrification properties of three BAFs, with ceramic, zeolite and carbonate media, respectively, were investigated to evaluate the feasibility of employing these materials as biological aerated filter media. All three BAFs shown a promising COD and SS removal performance, while influent pH was 6.5-8.1, air-liquid ratio was 5:1 and HRT was 1.25-2.5 h, respectively. Ammonia removal in BAFs was inhibited when organic and ammonia nitrogen loading were increased, but promoted effectively with the increase pH value. Zeolite and carbonate were more suitable for nitrification than ceramic particle when influent pH below 6.5. It is feasible to employ these media in BAF and adequate bed volume has to be supplied to satisfy the requirement of removal COD, SS and ammonia nitrogen simultaneously in a biofilter. The carbonate with a strong buffer capacity is more suitable to treat the wastewater with variable or lower pH.