TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Implementation Potential in a Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant in Croatia
AU - Šikić, Tanja
AU - Welles, Laurens
AU - Rubio-Rincón, Francisco Javier
AU - Matošić, Marin
AU - Brdjanovic, Damir
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - The objective of this study was to assess the possibility of retrofitting an existing full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) based on a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology with the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process. Wastewater characterisation showed highly variable influent composition that fluctuated throughout the year with a rather low and unstable SBOD/TP ratio (SBOD—soluble biological oxygen demand; TP—total phosphorus), which is considered unfavourable for EBPR. Characterisation of the sludge showed that the non-EBPR SBR sludge from the WWTP Koprivnica contained no detectable phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO), but could be transformed in a laboratory into EBPR performing sludge in less than 45 days under favourable conditions for PAOs. The microbial community composition was assessed using an FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) analysis, which confirmed that the original sludge from the WWTP, which did not have detectable PAOs, was transformed into the sludge enriched by PAOs belonging to the genus ‘Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis’ after 43 days of cultivation. A plant retrofit, based on the results of laboratory experiments, was proposed with the enrichment of the wastewater with volatile fatty acids via primary anaerobic fermentation and step feeding. Results of mathematical modelling (BioWin) showed that such strategy could lead to sufficient P removal through EBPR in this WWTP.
AB - The objective of this study was to assess the possibility of retrofitting an existing full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) based on a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology with the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process. Wastewater characterisation showed highly variable influent composition that fluctuated throughout the year with a rather low and unstable SBOD/TP ratio (SBOD—soluble biological oxygen demand; TP—total phosphorus), which is considered unfavourable for EBPR. Characterisation of the sludge showed that the non-EBPR SBR sludge from the WWTP Koprivnica contained no detectable phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO), but could be transformed in a laboratory into EBPR performing sludge in less than 45 days under favourable conditions for PAOs. The microbial community composition was assessed using an FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) analysis, which confirmed that the original sludge from the WWTP, which did not have detectable PAOs, was transformed into the sludge enriched by PAOs belonging to the genus ‘Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis’ after 43 days of cultivation. A plant retrofit, based on the results of laboratory experiments, was proposed with the enrichment of the wastewater with volatile fatty acids via primary anaerobic fermentation and step feeding. Results of mathematical modelling (BioWin) showed that such strategy could lead to sufficient P removal through EBPR in this WWTP.
KW - Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR)
KW - Modelling
KW - Municipal wastewater treatment
KW - Sludge characterisation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074258116&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s41742-019-00234-4
DO - 10.1007/s41742-019-00234-4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85074258116
SN - 1735-6865
VL - 13
SP - 1005
EP - 1013
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research
IS - 6
ER -