Effect of exogenous carbon sources on removal of inorganic nutrient by the nitrification-denitrification process

A bench scale study was undertaken to examine the effects of exogenous carbon substrates on the removal of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus by a simple nitrification-denitrification process. Each plastic tank reactor was subjected to a 7-h aeration followed by a 5-h anoxic stage. Methanol, glucose and sodium acetate, at the concentrations equivalent to theoretical COD values of 100 and 200 mg O₂ l⁻¹ were used as external carbon sources and were added to the reactors prior to the anoxic stage. Effects of these additions on biological phosphate release were also investigated. The results showed that 94% of NH₄⁺-N was removed at the end of the aeration period. During the anoxic stage, reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas was recorded and the denitrification process was significantly enhanced by the addition of organic carbon substrates. At the end of the anoxic stage, over 90% reduction was achieved in the tanks with exogenous carbon substrates while only 47% of NO₃⁻-N was removed in the control reactors. Among the three substrates, sodium acetate was the most efficient and effective source, followed by methanol and glucose. Addition of sodium acetate not only increased the amount of nitrate reduction but also enhanced the rate of N removal especially when a high dosage of sodium acetate was used. With respect to phosphorus removal, 88% ortho-P was removed after the aerobic stage. Throughout the anoxic stage, P concentration was maintained at about 2 mg l⁻¹ in both control and methanol treated reactors. However, significant increase in effluent P content was recorded in both sodium acetate and glucose treatments indicating that phosphorus was released from the bacterial cells during the anoxic stage. The amount of P-release in these two treatments was related to the concentrations of the carbon substrate used.     

A pilot-plant scale evaluation of potential precipitants in the secondary precipitation process

Chemical precipitation of presettled domestic wastewater (secondary precipitation) was studied in three pilot-plants operating in parallel with alum, ferric iron and lime as precipitants. With all precipitants phosphates were effectively removed down to less than 0·1 mg P l⁻¹. Total phosphorus removals were closely connected to the settling properties of the flocs. The factor that seemed to influence settling properties most was pH. In a favourable pH-range it was possible to achieve total phosphorus concentrations in the effluent of less than 0·5 mg P l⁻¹. The COD removal was at an average 70, 60 and 55% with alum, ferric iron and lime as precipitants.     

The effects of phenol and some alkyl phenolics on batch anaerobic methanogenesis

Phenol and seven alkylphenols (o-, m- and p-cresol, 2.5-, 2.6-, 3.4- and 3,5-dimethylphenol) were added at various concentrations to aliquots of domestic anaerobic sludge in Hungate serum bottles and these were incubated at 37°C. The concentration of methane in the headspace gas was monitored to determine if the phenolics were fermented to methane or if they inhibited the anaerobic process. Only phenol and p-cresol were fermented to methane. At 500 mg l⁻¹ (but not at 300 mg l⁻¹) 2,5-, 3,4- and 3,5-dimethylphenol reduced the rate and the amount of methane produced. The cresols were inhibitory at 1000 mg l⁻¹ but not at 400 mg l⁻¹.In cultures supplemented with acetate and propionate (VOA), and in unsupplemented cultures, phenol at concentrations up to 500 mg l⁻¹ was fermented to methane. Between 800 and 1200 mg l⁻¹ phenol, methane production was neither enhanced nor inhibited relative to control cultures containing no phenol. Inhibition of methane production was evident when phenol was present at 2000 mg l⁻¹. Thus the methanogens are less susceptible to phenol inhibition than are the phenol-degrading acid formers. In similar experiments with p-cresol: enhanced methane production was observed at concentrations of 400 mg l⁻¹; no enhancement or inhibition was observed at 600 mg l⁻¹; and inhibition was noted when p-cresol was present at 1000 mg l⁻¹.     

Detoxification of seawater used for gas scrubbing in the steel industry

Cyanide ion present in seawater after scrubbing blast furnace and coke ovens gases can be removed by sedimentation of hexacyanoferrate complexes followed by oxidation of residual cyanide with Caro's acid. Zinc ion is removed at the same time by adsorption on the hexacyanoferrate/hydrous ferric oxide precipitate.Sulphide is precipitated as ferrous sulphide, then oxidised by atmospheric oxygen. At 25°C and using an Fe/CN ratio of 1·00, initial concentrations of 50 mg l⁻¹ of CN⁻ and 10 mg l⁻¹ of Zn²⁺ in seawater are reduced to 5–7 mg l⁻¹ and 0·1 mg l⁻¹. Subsequent treatment with H₂SO₅/CN = 1·2 reduces the [CN⁻] to 0·1 mg l⁻¹.Treatment of a combined blast furnace/coke ovens effluent ([CN⁻] = 24 mgl⁻¹, [Zn²⁺] = 4·0 mgl⁻¹) with Fe/CN = 1·5 reduced [CN⁻] to 0·2 mg l⁻¹ and [Zn²⁺] to <0·1 mgl⁻¹. Subsequent treatment with H₂SO₅/CN = 2·0 reduced [CN⁻] to 0·2 mg l⁻¹. The process operates best in the pH range 7–9 and so is not affected by the buffer characteristics of seawater.     

The treatment of leachates from domestic wastes in landfills—I: Aerobic biological treatment of a medium-strength leachate

A medium-strength leachate from domestic solid wastes in a landfill (COD 5000 mg l⁻¹, BOD 3000 mg l⁻¹ was treated using aerobic biological processes in continuous-flow, laboratory-scale reactors at low temperatures. Each unit was completely mixed, and mixed liquor was wasted such that solids retention time (SRT) was equal to the hydraulic retention period.At 10 C with addition of phosphate (COD:P less than 100:1) SRT values of 10 days were required to obtained well-clarified effluents, and high removal of BOD (>;98%) and COD (>;92%). Reduction of temperature to 5°C resulted in adverse effects on settling of sludges from units with SRT values of less than 10 days, but in other units good removal of organic materials could still be obtained. These units operated successfully with concentrations of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) of 1450 mg l⁻¹, equivalent to a ratio of F/M of 0.21 kg BOD kg⁻¹ MLVSS day⁻¹ or less. Removal of ammoniacal nitrogen which took place (influent concentration 80 mg l⁻¹ as N) resulted from incorporation in biomass, and at SRT values of 10 days no nitrification took place at 5 or 10 C. Higher concentrations of ammonia in influent leachates resulted in ammonia in effluents when the ratio of BOD:N was less than about 100:3.6. Increasing the SRT of units to 20 days resulted in erratic conversion to nitrite, but reduced pH-values and possible simultaneous denitrification caused floating sludges and poorly-clarified effluents. Removal of ammonia is identified as a major problem when treating leachates, and further research is recommended.     

Use of large submerged chambers to measure sediment-water interactions

Submerged chambers were designed and constructed primarily to study in situ sediment phosphorus release in Shagawa Lake, Minnesota. Initial experiments indicated anoxic phosphorus release rates of 7 mg m⁻² day⁻¹. Oxygen consumption rates within the chambers were also measured; an average consumption rate of 0.17 g m⁻² day⁻¹ was obtained.     

The influence of substrate, pH, diet and temperature upon cadmium accumulation in the asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) in laboratory artificial streams

The influence of substrate, pH, diet and temperature upon the accumulation of cadmium (0.05 mg l⁻¹ dose < 0.001 mg l⁻¹ control) in the visceral mass of the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea was studied in laboratory artificial stream systems at intervals of 0, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14-day exposures. Four substrate conditions, sand; sand, silt and clay (SSC); sand, clay and organic matter (SCO); and no substrate (NoS), were considered. The greatest tissue accumulation of cadmium in C. fluminea occurred at 0.05 mg l⁻¹ Cd in NoS and the lowest in clams occupying SCO. Complexation of available metals, lower clam filtering rates and physical protection by the substrate were attributed to the depressed cadmium accumulation of clams exposed in the SCO substrate. Lower pH exposures (5.0 vs 7.8) significantly (P 0.05 level) reduced cadmium uptake at 21°C but had little effect at 9°C. Uptake was higher in clams fed with cadmium-exposed Chlamydomonas reinhardt at 21°C but not at 9°C. In temperature exposures alone at 0.05 mg l⁻¹ Cd, accumulation was significantly higher in C. fluminea exposed at 21°C than at 9°C. The results are discussed relative to the importance of standardized laboratory protocol and the use of C. fluminea as a bioindicator of heavy metal stress.     

Direct analytical procedure for determination of volatile organic acids in raw municipal wastewater

A direct analytical method for identification and determination of the individual volatile acids in raw sewage was developed. The proposed procedure is rapid, omitting tedious sample pretreatment and thus avoiding possible losses involved in steam distillation, evaporation or extraction. It consists of direct injection of raw sewage into a gas chromatograph, including Carbowax 20 M on acid washed Chromosorb W column and a flame ionization detector. Sample preparation is confined to addition of solid metaphosphoric acid to the raw sewage, and removal of precipitated proteins and suspended solids by centrifugation.The direct injection method proved to be practicable, accurate and rapid. Volatile acids content in raw municipal sewage in Haifa, Israel, was found to be in the range of 150–160 mg l⁻¹, of which 120–125 mg l⁻¹ was acetic acid, 30–33 mg l⁻¹ propionic acid, 6–8 mg l⁻¹ butyric acid, 2 mg l⁻¹ isovaleric acid, and 0.5–1 mg l⁻¹ valeric acid.     

High-rate overland flow

Recommended loading rates for treating raw domestic wastewater by overland flow are 6.3–15 cm wk⁻¹. Information provided in the literature yields little insight regarding the upper range of hydraulic loading rates that could be effectively treated by overland flow. Therefore, field investigations were conducted to evaluate the performance of the overland flow system at overland flow rates from 0.95 m³ day⁻¹ m⁻¹ width of slope (13 cm wk⁻¹ to 4.15 m³ day⁻¹ m⁻¹ (57 cm wk⁻¹).Preliminary treated municipal wastewater was pumped to overland flow slopes, each approx. 3.7 m wide and 36.5 m long. The slope of each plot was 2.5%. The cover crop consisted of a mixture of ryegrass, bluegrass and fescue grass. The plots were operated for 2 years at six different hydraulic loading rates.Effluent BOD₅ concentration averages varied from 6 to 11 mg l⁻¹. The reduction of influent BOD₅ concentration ranged from 87 to 93%. Mean effluent suspended solids values were from 6 to 9 mg l⁻¹ with reductions of influent concentrations of 91–95%. Hydraulic application rate had little effect on percent BOD₅ or suspended solids removal.Total phosphorus reductions were minimal at all hydraulic application rates due to limited soil water contact.Ammonia concentration in the effluent ranged from 1 mg l⁻¹ NH₃-N at the 0.95 m³ day⁻¹ m⁻¹ (13 cm wk⁻¹) applied flow rate of 11.7 mg l⁻¹ NH₃-N at the 4.15 m³ day⁻¹ m⁻¹ (57 cm wk⁻¹) loading rate. Ammonia and nitrogen reductions decreased as the applied flow rate increased. Consequently, lower overland flow rates are necessary for nitrogen removal.The use of high-rate overland flow could potentially reduce the land necessary for this form of land application, if nutrient removal was not a local concern.     

The relationship between dissimilatory nitrate reduction and oxygen uptake by cells of an Alcaligenes strain in flocs and in suspension and by activated sludge flocs

The oxygen uptake and the dissimilatory nitrate reduction by anaerobically grown cells of a denitrifying Alcaligenes strain, occurring in floc form or in suspension, were studied at different oxygen concentrations in the surrounding medium. When the oxygen concentration in the medium fell below 1·5 mg l⁻¹, the nitrate reduction by the cells within flocs increased considerably. The cells in suspension showed an increased nitrate reduction when the oxygen concentration was below 0·1 mg l⁻¹. When anaerobically grown cells had been aerated for 24 h in a nitrogen-free medium, the cells became sensitive to respiration inhibition by nitric oxide, resulting from nitrate reduction. This gave rise to an increased nitrate reduction below 2·5 mg oxygen l⁻¹ when the cells were aggregated in flocs and below 0·1 mg oxygen per litre when the cells were in suspension. The nitrate reduction by the denitrifying, floc-forming pure culture was compared with that of activated sludge flocs.     

Lethal response by atlantic salmon parr to some polyoxyethylated cationic and nonionic surfactants

Lethal response of Atlantic salmon parr, as 96-h LC50, is semi-logarithmically related to the number of moles of ethylene oxide in the polyoxyethylated surfactant. 96-h LC50 of polyoxyethylene (10) monolaurate = 7.5 mg l¹, polyoxyethylene (10) lauryl ether = 3·5 mg l⁻¹, and polyoxyethylene (10) octadecyl amine = 0·2 mg l⁻¹.Evidence is presented which suggests that polyoxyethylene esters with up to 18–20 moles of ethylene oxide are partially detoxified in the animal, resulting in changes in lethal response. Possible physiological explanations for the relationship between polyoxyethylene chain length and lethality involve uptake rates and attainment of a critical concentration of surfactant at the unknown active site.     

Iron and hydrogen sulfide interference in the analysis of soluble reactive phosphorus in anoxic waters

Anoxic water from eight lakes containing various amounts of ferrous iron, hydrogen sulfide, calcium and total phosphorus was analysed for soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP). Hydrogen sulfide concentrations higher than 1 mg l⁻¹ and ferrous iron concentration above 0.20 mg l⁻¹ produce interferences in the SRP analysis in many occasions (e.g. 80% underestimation of SRP). Interfering concentrations of these materials are shown to be present in anoxic water from a large number of lakes, groundwater springs and ocean basins.The mechanisms of the interferences are discussed and methods described to prevent these analytical errors. Ferrous iron is not problematic if the sample is kept anoxic before and during filtration. On the other hand vigorous aeration is obligatory if hydrogen sulfide is present. Simple methods to test for both the possible interfering compounds are presented. It is shown for the water from the anoxic hypolimnia of eight lakes that a modified analysis of total (unfiltered) reactive phosphorus (TRP) yields on average only 2% lower phosphorus concentrations than SRP analysis. TRP hence can replace the complicated SRP analysis in anoxic waters.     

Acute toxicity and behavioral responses of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) to chlorine in heated sea-water

The acute toxicity and behavioral response to chlorinated and heated sea-water was determined for coho salmon smolts and 1–3 month old shiner perch. LC₅₀'s were determined for 7.5, 15, 30 and 60 min exposure times; 13, 16 and 20°C (Δt = 0, 3, 7°C) temperatures and total residual oxidant (TRO) concentrations ranging from 0.077 to 1.035 mg l⁻¹. The mean 60 min LC₅₀ for shiner perch was significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05) from 308 μg l⁻¹ TRO at 13°C to 230 μg l⁻¹ TRO at 20°C. The 60 min LC₅₀ for coho salmon decreased from 208 μg l⁻¹ TRO at 13°C to 130 μg l⁻¹ at 20°C. The LC₅₀'s for coho salmon in chlorinated sea-water averaged 55% of those for shiner perch. The relationship between TRO concentration, exposure time, and percent survival in chlorinated sea-water at 13°C is presented for both species.A significant (P ≤ 0.01) avoidance threshold for coho salmon occurred at 2 μg l⁻¹ TRO and was reinforced with increasing temperature. A significant (P ≤ 0.01) avoidance threshold for shiner perch occurred at 175 μg l⁻¹ TRO, while a significant preference (P ≤ 0.05 or 0.01) response at 16°C and 20°C occurred at 10, 25, 50 and 100 μg l⁻¹ TRO. The ecological implications of the toxicity tests and the behavioral responses are discussed.     

Hyperconcentrated cultures of Scenedesmus obliquus: A new approach for wastewater biological tertiary treatment?

Algal cultures of Scenedesmus obliquus at low concentrations (0.1–0.2 g dry wt l⁻¹) provide adequate biological tertiary treatment of wastewaters. This research was aimed at studying the possibility of increasing the system performance by using hyperconcentrated cultures of S. obliquus (up to 2.6 g dry wt l⁻¹) at the laboratory scale. The algal culture grown on secondary effluent was first chemically flocculated with chitosan (30 mg l⁻¹) and decanted; the sedimented culture (5 g dry wt l⁻¹) was then resuspended in secondary effluent to obtain algal suspensions at various concentrations, the performance of which was compared to that of a control culture (0.13 g dry wt l⁻¹). The rate of exhaustion of nitrogen (N-NH₄⁺) was proportional to the algal concentration and a complete removal could be obtained within 15 min (at 2.6 g dry wt algae l⁻¹); this result compares favorably to the 2.5 h or so required by the control culture. The unit uptake rate for nitrogen (N-NH₄⁺) had a tendency to increase with the algal concentration, whereas that of phosphorus (P-PO₄³⁻) showed the opposite relationship. Considering the results obtained, it appears that hyperconcentrated algal cultures have a high potential for the tertiary treatment of wastewaters; a significant reduction of pond surface for large scale operations can be anticipated.     

Role of aquatic plants in wastewater treatment by artificial wetlands

This report describes investigations using artificial wetlands which quantitatively assess the role of each of three higher aquatic plant types, Scirpus validus (bulrush), Phragmites communis (common reed) and Typha latifola (cattail), in the removal of nitrogen (via sequential nitrification-denitrification), BOD and TSS from primary municipal wastewaters. During the period August 1983–December 1984, the mean ammonia concentration of 24.7 mg l⁻¹ in the primary wastewater inflow (hydraulic application rate = 4.7 cm day⁻¹) was reduced to mean effluent levels of 1.4 mg l⁻¹ for the bulrush bed, 5.3 mg l⁻¹ for the reed bed and 17.7 mg l⁻¹ for the cattail bed, as compared to a mean value of 22.1 mg l⁻¹ for the unvegetated (control) bed. For all three vegetated beds, the mean effluent ammonia values were significantly below that for the unvegetated bed and for the inflow. The bulrushes and reeds (in that order) proved to be superior at removing ammonia, both with mean effluent levels significantly below that for the cattail bed. The high ammonia-N (and total N) removal efficiencies shown by the bulrush and reed beds are attributed to the ability of these plants to translocate O₂ from the shoots to the roots. The oxidized rhizosphere so formed stimulates sequential nitrification-denitrification. Similarly BOD removal efficiencies were highest in the bulrush and reed beds, both with mean effluent BOD levels (5.3 and 22.2 mg l⁻¹, respectively) significantly below that for the unvegetated bed (36.4 mg l⁻¹) and equal to or better than secondary treatment quality (30 mg l⁻¹). Our results demonstrate that higher aquatic plants can indeed play a significant role in secondary and advanced (N removal) wastewater treatment by wetland systems, a role that is completely distinct from that associated with their pollutant uptake capacity.     

Operating characteristics of the aerated submerged fixed-film (ASFF) bioreactor

A multi-stage fixed-film reactor was developed in which a stationary submerged biofilm is attached to ceramic tiles under diffused aeration. Tracer studies revealed that the reactor's hydraulic regime is described by a CSTR-in-series model. Reactor performance at 20 °C was examined using sucrose wastewaters with organic strength up to 900 mg l⁻¹ COD, at hydraulic loadings up to 0.1 m³ m⁻²d⁻¹ and organic loadings up to 90 g CODm⁻² d⁻¹. The reactor demonstrated the capability of achieving 97% soluble COD removals at low loadings and exhibited efficient and stable performance at high hydraulic and organic loadings. Even at application rates near the rate-limiting mass loadings, there was only a 9% loss in efficiency. Reactor operation at high loadings appears to be advantageous since organic substrate removal rates and attached biomass per unit surface area increased with the increase in organic loading. This can be attributed to the good oxygen transfer and the considerable quantity and type of attached biomass attained. Staging of the reactor proved to be effective in eliminating short circuiting and damping excessive loadings, although the majority of COD removal occurs in the first stage which retains the greatest quantity of attached biomass. A good quality effluent was produced.     

The effects of the COD:P ratio on laboratory activated sludge systems

Laboratory activated sludge systems were operated at various COD:P ratios to study the effects of the influent phosphorus concentration on COD removal efficiency, cellular phosphorus, carbohydrate and protein contents, and alkaline phosphatase activity. In varying the COD:P ratio, the COD was held constant at 1000 mg l⁻¹ and phosphorus concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 20, 35 and 50 mg l⁻¹ were used. The optimum COD:P ratio for this study was found to be 100:1. Increasing the phosphorus concentration in the influent above one percent of the influent COD did not provide for an increase in the COD removal nor for significant changes in the cellular protein and carbohydrate content or the alkaline phosphatase activity.     

An improved determination of chemical oxygen demand in water and wastes by a simplified acid dichromate digestion

A simplified and improved chemical oxygen demand (COD) procedure is suitable for water and waste water samples containing up to 1500 mg Cl l⁻¹. Samples are digested with sulfuric acid, potassium dichromate, silver sulfate, mercury(II) sulfate and sulfamic acid in open glass tubes for 2 h at 140 ± 2°C without boiling, and excess dichromate is determined colorimetrically at 440 nm. The use of 49-position digestion racks, a large oven and a spectrophotometer fitted with a 1-cm flow cell allow analysis of ca. 12 samples h⁻¹. A correction for chloride interference is not required in the 0–500 mg Cl l⁻¹ range. The detection limit is 3 mg l⁻¹, and the relative standard deviation at the 112 mg COD l⁻¹ level is 4.3%. Thirty-five waste water samples were analyzed by the standard dichromate reflux method and by the proposed procedure. There was no significant difference between the two sets of data (P > 0.25). Recovery data for 15 major water pollutants including benzene, toluene and pyridine are presented.     

Effects of sodium and phosphate on growth of cyanobacteria

We conducted laboratory experiments to evaluate the effects of NaCl and phosphorus enrichments on natural phytoplankton assemblages from Lake Michigan in continuous-flow systems, at a dilution rate of 0.25 d⁻¹. The experiment was repeated four times, 1981–1982, using freshly-collected natural lakewater inocula and temperature regimes typical of near-surface waters at initiation (6, 12, 16 and 20°C), at two levels of PO₄−P (1–2 vs 91–92 μg l⁻¹) and of Na⁺ (3–4 vs 9–10 mg l⁻¹) each time. As a single factor, sodium chloride enrichments had no significant effect on growth rates or densities of cyanobacteria in cultures containing natural phytoplankton assemblages from Lake Michigan. However, filamentous cyanobacteria proliferated in the presence of elevated phosphorus concentrations, both with and without concurrent NaCl additions, particularly in warmer waters. Our laboratory results were consistent with the hypothesis that cyanobacteria are favored in phytoplankton of large lakes with low N:P ratios.     

The use of uric acid as a method of tracing domestic sewage discharges in riverine, estuarine and coastal water environments

The chemical tracking of sewage effluents discharged into fresh and saline waters presents difficulties, especially in estuaries. The main difficulty is caused by the dissolved constituents being used to monitor the effluent also occurring naturally at similar levels. Uric acid is present at significant levels in untreated sewage and is not normally found in unpolluted waters. Until now no suitable routine method has been available for uric acid estimation in fresh and saline waters at levels normally encountered in the environment. In this paper we describe a recently developed technique using high-performance liquid chromatography which estimates uric acid in both fresh and saline waters in the range 1–10,000 μg l⁻¹ with a precision (2σ) of ±20% at 2 μg l⁻¹, ±4% at 40 μg l⁻¹ and ±2% at 10 mg l⁻¹.