ABSTRACT
Excess phosphorus (P) in wastewater effluent poses a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems and can spur harmful algal blooms. Revolving algal biofilm (RAB) systems are an emerging technology to recover P from wastewater before discharge into aquatic ecosystems. In RAB systems, a community of microalgae take up and store wastewater P as polyphosphate as they grow in a partially submerged revolving biofilm, which may then be harvested and dried for use as fertilizer in lieu of mined phosphate rock. In this work, we isolated and characterized a total of 101 microalgae strains from active RAB systems across the US Midwest, including 82 green algae, 9 diatoms, and 10 cyanobacteria. Strains were identified by microscopy and 16S/18S ribosomal DNA sequencing, cryopreserved, and screened for elevated P content (as polyphosphate). Seven isolated strains possessed at least 50% more polyphosphate by cell dry weight than a microalgae consortium from a RAB system, with the top strain accumulating nearly threefold more polyphosphate. These top P-hyperaccumulating strains include the green alga Chlamydomonas pulvinata TCF-48 g and the diatoms Eolimna minima TCF-3d and Craticula molestiformis TCF-8d, possessing 11.4, 12.7, and 14.0% polyphosphate by cell dry weight, respectively. As a preliminary test of strain application for recovering P, Chlamydomonas pulvinata TCF-48 g was reinoculated into a bench-scale RAB system containing Bold basal medium. The strain successfully recolonized the system and recovered twofold more P from the medium than a microalgae consortium from a RAB system treating municipal wastewater. These isolated P-hyperaccumulating microalgae may have broad applications in resource recovery from various waste streams, including improving P removal from wastewater.
ABSTRACT
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago adopted the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) to reduce combined sewer overflow (CSO) events in the Chicago region. The Thornton Composite Reservoir (TCR) became operational in 2015 providing an additional 30 million m3 of CSO-impacted stormwater capacity. In the United States, no other mega reservoirs are in operation to provide as a reference to study the long-term impacts of biosolids operations in water resource recovery facilities. The mean daily volume pumped from the Calumet TARP system to the Calumet Plant increased 144-238 m3 from 2012-2014 to 273-360 m3 from 2016-2018. Overall annual digester feed solids for the 2016-2018 post-TCR period were 28,182 Mg, which was 11 percent less than the mean for the 2012-2014 period of 31,745 Mg. Annual digester draw solids for the 2016-2018 post-TCR period were 19,422 Mg, which were 4 percent less than the 2012-2014 pre-TCR period mean of 20,190 Mg. This paper demonstrated a decrease in digester feed loading to the Calumet Plant and, ultimately, a decrease in digester draw solids with an overall increase in plant and TARP flow in the years following operation of the TCR for the capture and treatment of CSO-impacted stormwater. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Reservoirs capturing combined sewer overflow-impacted stormwater improve water quality of local waterways. Mega reservoirs may impact solids loading to water resource recovery facilities. Hydraulic loading to water resource recovery facilities may be substantial with mega reservoirs.
