Experimental data from a biofilm reactor, in which two groups of organisms (Nitrifiers and Heterotrophs) compete for dissolved oxygen, were analyzed by a Mixed Culture Biofilm Model. The objective was to investigate to what extent and how fast relative abundance and spatial distribution of microbial species in a mixed culture biofilm changed upon variations of the bulk fluid substrate composition, and what the consequences of these changes were for substrate removal. Experimental results showed that within nine days the nitrification rate in a biofilm of constant thickness could change by a factor of five. Model predictions indicated that these changes must be due to a significant shift of the biofilm population. The distribution of the autotrophic and heterotrophic species over the depth of the biofilm turned out to be an important aspect of mixed culture biofilm behavior. Since it is difficult to observe the microbial population and its spatial distribution experimentally, the Mixed Culture Biofilm Model has proved to be a valuable tool for the interpretation of the observed phenomena.
The objective of this study is to investigate to what extent the nitrification capacity of a pilot-plant fixed-film reactor changes during extensive periods of nutrient supply deficiency. The examined pilot-plant was an upflow reactor filled with swelling clay of medium grain size (6 to 8 mm). The experiments revealed that the maximum nitrification rate remained practically constant during the first weeks after the onset of unregulated ammonium supply. The capacity declined slowly, dropping to approximately 66% of the initial capacity after about ten weeks. Still ammonium peaks of up to 8 mg/l were readily nitrified throughout the entire period of the experiment. The reduction in nitrification capacity during the observation period did not result from decay processes of biomass but from the reactor becoming blocked and thus hampering transfer processes. It could be observed that the detached organisms attached again further up. This semi-industrial project demonstrated that a plug-flow fixed-film reactor can be used as effective means of tertiary nitrification.
The upgrading of wastewater treatment plants with the objective of enhancing the elimination of nitrogen and phosphorus is a demanding undertaking as regards the choice of process technology, especially if the basic function of existing treatment systems is to be retained. With reference to an existing two-stage biological sewage plant with trickling filters in the second stage, the present paper illustrates how the volume of the activated sludge stage that is being enlarged can be minimized by exploiting the benefits of a primary treatment stage with high BOD5 elimination and by integrating the trickling filters in the main stream of the treatment chain. This requires that the extremely costly filtration stage that is essential for eliminating the phosphorus also fulfils other tasks, in this case residual denitrification.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.