The combined effects of biomass and temperature on maximum specific ammonia oxidation rate in domestic wastewater treatment

Abstract

• Actual SAORs was determined using MLVSS and temperature.

• Measured SAOR decreased with increasing MLVSS 1.1‒8.7 g/L.

• Temperature coefficient (θ) decreased with increasing MLVSS.

• Nitrification process was dynamically simulated based on laboratory-scale SBR tests.

• A modified model was successfully validated in pilot-scale SBR systems.

Measurement and predicted variations of ammonia oxidation rate (AOR) are critical for the optimization of biological nitrogen removal, however, it is difficult to predict accurate AOR based on current models. In this study, a modified model was developed to predict AOR based on laboratory-scale tests and verified through pilot-scale tests. In biological nitrogen removal reactors, the specific ammonia oxidation rate (SAOR) was affected by both mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentration and temperature. When MLVSS increased 1.6, 4.2, and 7.1-fold (1.3‒8.9 g/L, at 20°C), the measured SAOR decreased by 21%, 49%, and 56%, respectively. Thereby, the estimated SAOR was suggested to modify when MLVSS changed through a power equation fitting. In addition, temperature coefficient (θ) was modified based on MLVSS concentration. These results suggested that the prediction of variations ammonia oxidation rate in real wastewater treatment system could be more accurate when considering the effect of MLVSS variations on SAOR.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Specific ammonia oxidation rate / Sequencing batch reactor / Biomass / Temperature coefficient / Model simulation

References

[1] APHA (1998). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th ed. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association

[2] Bailey A, Hansford G, Dold P (1994). The use of cross-flow microfiltration to enhance the performance of an activated-sludge reactor. Water Research, 28(2): 297–301

[3] Bartrolí A, Pérez J, Carrera J (2010). Applying ratio control in a continuous granular reactor to achieve full nitritation under stable operating conditions. Environmental Science & Technology, 44(23): 8930–8935

[4] Cui F, Kim M (2013). Use of steady-state biofilm model to characterize aerobic granular sludge. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(21): 12291–12296

[5] Gorgun E, Insel G, Artan N, Orhon D (2007). Model evaluation of temperature dependency for carbon and nitrogen removal in a full-scale activated sludge plant treating leather-tanning wastewater. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A—Toxic/Hazardous Substances Environmental Engineering, 42: 747–756

[6] Gu S, Wang S, Yang Q, Yang P, Peng Y (2012). Start up partial nitrification at low temperature with a real-time control strategy based on blower frequency and pH. Bioresource Technology, 112: 34–41

[7] Guo J, Peng Y, Huang H, Wang S, Ge S, Zhang J, Wang Z (2010). Short- and long-term effects of temperature on partial nitrification in a sequencing batch reactor treating domestic wastewater. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 179(1–3): 471–479

[8] Henze M, Gujer W, Mino T, van Loosdrecht M (2000). Activated sludge models ASM1, ASM2, ASM2d and ASM3 scientific and technical report No.9. London: IWA Publishing

[9] Isanta E, Reino C, Carrera J, Perez J (2015). Stable partial nitritation for low-strength wastewater at low temperature in an aerobic granular reactor. Water Research, 80: 149–158

[10] Kim J, Guo X, Park H (2008). Comparison study of the effects of temperature and free ammonia concentration on nitrification and nitrite accumulation. Process Biochemistry, 43(2): 154–160

[11] Kowalski M S, Devlin T R, di Biase A, Oleszkiewicz J A (2019). Controlling cold temperature partial nitritation in moving bed biofilm reactor. Chemosphere, 227: 216–224

[12] Krhutková O, Novak L, Pachmanova L, Benakova A, Wanner J, Kos M (2006). In situ bioaugmentation of nitrification in the regeneration zone: practical application and experiences at full-scale plants. Water Science and Technology, 53(12): 39–46

[13] Li H, Zhang Y, Yang M, Kamagata Y (2013). Effects of hydraulic retention time on nitrification activities and population dynamics of a conventional activated sludge system. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 7(1): 43–48

[14] Li J, Li J, Peng Y, Wang S, Zhang L, Yang S, Li S (2020a). Insight into the impacts of organics on anammox and their potential linking to system performance of sewage partial nitrification-anammox (PN/A): A critical review. Bioresource Technology, 300: 122655

[15] Li J, Peng Y, Zhang L, Li X, Zhang Q, Yang S, Gao Y, Li S (2020b). Improving efficiency and stability of anammox through sequentially coupling nitritation and denitritation in a single-stage bioreactor. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(17): 10859–10867

[16] Li J, Peng Y, Zhang Q, Li X, Yang S, Li S, Zhang L (2021). Rapid enrichment of anammox bacteria linked to floc aggregates in a single-stage partial nitritation-anammox process: providing the initial carrier and anaerobic microenvironment. Water Research, 191: 116807

[17] Li X, Sun S, Yuan H, Badgley B, He Z (2017). Mainstream upflow nitritation-anammox system with hybrid anaerobic pretreatment: Long-term performance and microbial community dynamics. Water Research, 125: 298–308

[18] Liu W, Peng Y, Ma B, Ma L, Jia F, Li X (2017). Dynamics of microbial activities and community structures in activated sludge under aerobic starvation. Bioresource Technology, 244: 588–596

[19] Mannucci A, Munz G, Mori G, Lubello C, Oleszkiewicz J (2015). Applicability of the Arrhenius model for ammonia oxidizing bacteria subjected to temperature time gradients. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 9(6): 988–994

[20] Muller E, Stouthamer A, Vanverseveld H, Eikelboom D (1995). Aerobic domestic waste-water treatment in a pilot-plant with complete sludge retention by cross-flow filtration. Water Research, 29(4): 1179–1189

[21] Pellegrin M L, Tazi-Pain A, Buisson H, Wisniewski C, Grasmick A (2002). Sequenced aeration in a membrane bioreactor: specific nitrogen removal rates. Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 80(3): 386–392

[22] Peng Y, Zhang L, Zhang S, Gan Y, Wu C (2012). Enhanced nitrogen removal from sludge dewatering liquor by simultaneous primary sludge fermentation and nitrate reduction in batch and continuous reactors. Bioresource Technology, 104: 144–149

[23] Regmi P, Miller M W, Holgate B, Bunce R, Park H, Chandran K, Wett B, Murthy S, Bott C B (2014). Control of aeration, aerobic SRT and COD input for mainstream nitritation/denitritation. Water Research, 57: 162–171

[24] Shammas N (1986). Interactions of temperature, pH, and biomass on the nitrification process. Journal- Water Pollution Control Federation, 58: 52–59

[25] Shi Y, Wells G, Morgenroth E (2016). Microbial activity balance in size fractionated suspended growth biomass from full-scale sidestream combined nitritation-anammox reactors. Bioresource Technology, 218: 38–45

[26] Smith R, Oerther D (2009). Respirometric evaluation of side-stream treatment of reject water as a source of nitrifying bacteria formain-stream activated sludge bioreactors. Water Science and Technology, 60(10): 2677–2684

[27] Sözen S, Orhon D, San H (1996). A new approach for the evaluation of the maximum specific growth rate in nitrification. Water Research, 30(7): 1661–1669

[28] Sun L, Zuo W, Tian Y, Zhang J, Liu J, Sun N, Li J (2019). Performance and microbial community analysis of an algal-activated sludge symbiotic system: Effect of activated sludge concentration. Journal of Environmental Sciences-China, 76: 121–132

[29] Teck H, Loong K, Sun D, Leckie J (2009). Influence of a prolonged solid retention time environment on nitrification/denitrification and sludge production in a submerged membrane bioreactor. Desalination, 245(1–3): 28–43

[30] Yang Y, Zhang L, Cheng J, Zhang S, Li B, Peng Y (2017). Achieve efficient nitrogen removal from real sewage in a plug-flow integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor via partial nitritation/anammox pathway. Bioresource Technology, 239: 294–301

[31] Yuan Y, Zhou Z, Jiang J, Wang K, Yu S, Qiang J, Ming Q, An Y, Ye J, Wu D (2021). Partial nitrification performance and microbial community evolution in the membrane bioreactor for saline stream treatment. Bioresource Technology, 320: 124419

[32] Zhang G, Zhang L, Han X, Zhang S, Peng Y (2021). Start-up of PN-anammox system under low inoculation quantity and its restoration after low-loading rate shock. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 15(2): 32

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press