Efficient carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus removal from low C/N real domestic wastewater with aerobic granular sludge. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Campo, Riccardo; Sguanci, Sara; Caffaz, Simone; Mazzoli, Lorenzo; Ramazzotti, Matteo; Lubello, Claudio; Lotti, Tommaso
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 305(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Aerobic Granular Sludge -- Low influent C/N ratio -- High SRT-low observed yield factor -- Nutrients removal -- Simultaneous nitrification/denitrification via nitrite; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122961
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Aerobic granular sludge technology is suitable for treatment of low C/N wastewater. Long SRT ensured low observed biomass yield thus reducing excess sludge production. High C/N/P removal efficiencies of 84/71/96% besides low OLR and influent C/N ratio. N removal partly over nitrite using the COD stored anaerobically by PAOs and GAOs. Abstract: This work reports on simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal treating real domestic wastewater with low carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio by aerobic granular sludge (AGS). Operations at high sludge retention time (SRT = 61 ± 24 days) resulted in low biomass yield per chemical oxygen demand removed (CODrem ) (0.21 ± 0.01 gCODx /gCODrem ), lower COD demand for denitrification as well as high effluent quality in terms of total suspended solids (TSS) (22 ± 7 mgTSS/L). The average ratio between the biodegradable soluble COD stored anaerobically as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and the N removed was 3.1 ± 0.6 gCODsto /gNrem, suggesting that nitrification/denitrification occurred partly via the nitrite pathway. Results revealed that stable AGS process with high C/N/P removal efficiency of 84/71/96% can be obtained besides a low organic loading rate (0.43 ± 0.11 g COD/L/d) and influent C/N ratio (3.8 ± 1.6 g/g), resulting in a high effluent quality characterized by 25 ± 6 mg sCOD/L, 0.09 ± 0.07 mgPO4 -P/L, 9 ± 2 mgTIN/L (10 ± 2 mgTN/L) and 22 ± 7 mgTSS/L.