An introduction to optimizing supplemental nutrients at pulp and paper wastewater treatment plants

Abstract

Development and maintenance of mill- and wastewater treatment system-specific programs aimed at optimizing use of supplemental nutrients for purposes of minimizing residual nutrients in treated effluents have evolved in recent years and are summarized. Suggestions for monitoring of nutrient forms in wastewaters prior to and during biological treatment are presented, as are approaches for determining supplemental nutrient requirements, monitoring biomass characteristics, and achieving minimum nitrogen and phosphorus residuals in treated final effluents while maintaining targeted levels of biological treatment. Aspects of nutrient management relevant to activated sludge (AS) and aerated stabilization basin (ASB) systems are presented, and ASB configurations operated in part to minimize nutrient levels in treated effluents are highlighted.

Valorization of pulp and paper industry wastewater using sludge enriched with nitrogen‐fixing bacteria

“…Consequently, to facilitate biological treatment, this type of wastewater is supplemented with chemical fertilizer (nitrogen and phosphorus) in order to achieve the recommended C/N/P ratio of 100:5:1 (COD/N/P of 100:3.5:0.8), required for an efficient biological treatment of the organic load (Dennis et al, 2004;Gray, 2004;Pratt et al, 2007;. But nutrient supplementation is expensive, difficult to control, requires extensive monitoring, and sometimes causes an excess of nutrient in the effluent; alternatively, the nitrogen necessary for bacterial growth could be obtained through BNF or nutrient recycling from benthal deposits (Hubbe et al, 2016;Wiegand et al, 2014). Some studies have determined the conditions required to convert and/or operate wastewater treatment facilities under nitrogen fixation mode or nutrient recycling from benthal deposits, adding limited or no nutrients to the system (Pratt et al, 2007;Wiegand et al, 2014).…”

“…But nutrient supplementation is expensive, difficult to control, requires extensive monitoring, and sometimes causes an excess of nutrient in the effluent; alternatively, the nitrogen necessary for bacterial growth could be obtained through BNF or nutrient recycling from benthal deposits (Hubbe et al, 2016;Wiegand et al, 2014). Some studies have determined the conditions required to convert and/or operate wastewater treatment facilities under nitrogen fixation mode or nutrient recycling from benthal deposits, adding limited or no nutrients to the system (Pratt et al, 2007;Wiegand et al, 2014).…”