Photosynthetic bacteria-based membrane bioreactor as post-treatment of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent.

Anaerobic membrane bioreactors have attracted increasing interest in the field of wastewater treatment. However, significant amounts of organic matter, nitrogen and sulphide in the effluent may limit its reuse. A photosynthetic bacteria-based membrane bioreactor is proposed for the further treatment of this effluent. A pilot-scale unit was run outdoor for over 900h to assess the process performance at short hydraulic retention time. After an initial biomass development, simultaneous removal of soluble organic matter and nitrogen was achieved (65% and 39%, respectively). In addition, a significant concentration of sulphate was detected in the permeate, revealing an evident sulphide oxidation. Despite the accumulation of biopolymer clusters in the biological suspension, membrane fouling was effectively mitigated by air-aided backwashing, allowing a sustainable operation. Several strains of bacteria were identified including the photoheterotrophic bacteria Rhodopseudomonas sp. and the nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria Chryseobacterium sp.

Effect of oxygen injection in a reclaimed wastewater pipeline on the microbiological quality of water.

In this work the influence of oxygen injection on the inactivation of microbiological indicators during reclaimed wastewater transportation was studied. Experiments were carried out in a completely filled gravity pipe (62 km long), at two different periods of the year and with three different oxygen doses (7, 15 and 30 mg L(-1)). Microbiological parameters studied were faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci and somatic coliphages. As a consequence of the oxygen injection, a significant inactivation of the microbiological parameters was observed during the aerobic stretch of the pipe. Later, once the oxygen had been consumed, inactivation stopped and even a slight regrowth of the microbial population took place. Inactivations were within the range of 0.6-1.0 log10 units, in most cases. No significant differences between inactivations for the different microbiological parameters were found, except for the somatic coliphages. A relationship between the inactivation degree and oxygen dose and organic matter content was observed. The biofilm played an important role in the inactivation process. The injection of oxygen contributes to improving the microbiological quality of reclaimed wastewater during its transport by pipelines, helping to diminish the subsequent on-site disinfection requirements.

Reclaimed wastewater quality enhancement by oxygen injection during transportation.

In-sewer treatments have been studied in sewer systems, but few have been carried out on reclaimed wastewater systems. A study of oxygen injection has been performed in a completely filled gravity pipe, 0.6 m in diameter and 62 km long, in cast iron with concrete inside coating, which is part of the reclaimed wastewater reuse scheme of Tenerife (Spain). A high pressure oxygen injection system was installed at 16.0 km from pipe inlet and a constant dosage of 30 mg/L O(2) has been injected during six months, under three different operational modes (low COD, 63 mg/L; high COD, 91 mg/L; and partially nitrified water). Oxygen has been consumed in nitrification and organic matter reduction. Generally, nitrification is clearly favored instead of the organic matter oxidation. Nitrification occurs, in general, with nitrite accumulation due to the presence of free ammonia above 1 mg/L. Denitrification is in all cases incomplete due to a limitation of easily biodegradable organic matter content, inhibiting the appearance of anaerobic conditions and sulfide generation. A notable reduction of organic matter parameters is achieved (TSS below 10 mg/L), which is significantly higher than that observed under the ordinary transport conditions without oxygen. This leads to a final cost reduction, and the oxygen injection system helps water reuse managers to maintain a final good water quality in the case of a treatment plant malfunction.

Nitrogen transformation of reclaimed wastewater in a pipeline by oxygen injection.

A study of oxygen injection was performed in a completely filled gravity pipe, which is part of the South Tenerife reclaimed wastewater reuse scheme (Spain), in order to inhibit the appearance of anaerobic conditions by a nitrification-denitrification process. The pipe was 0.6 m in diameter and 62 km long and made of cast iron with a concrete inner coating, A high-pressure oxygen injection system was installed at 16 km from the pipe inlet, where severe anaerobic conditions appear. Experiments on oxygen injection were carried out with three different concentrations (7, 15 and 30 mg l(-1) O2). In all experiments, oxygen dissolved properly after injection, and no gas escapes were detected during water transportation. Most oxygen was consumed in the nitrification process, due to the low COD/NH4-N ratio, leading to a maximum production of oxidized nitrogen compounds of 7.5 mg l(-1) NO(x)-N with the 30 mg l(-1) O2 dose. Nitrification occured with nitrite accumulation, attributed to the presence of free ammonia within the range 1.2-1.4 mg l(-). Once the oxygen had been consumed, an apparent half-order denitrification took place, with limitation of biodegradable organic matter. The anoxic conditions led to a complete inhibition of sulphide generation.

Transportation of reclaimed wastewater through a long pipe: inhibition of sulphide production by nitrite from the secondary treatment.

The agricultural reuse of reclaimed wastewater has become a necessity in places with water shortages. Frequently, this involves the operation of long transportation pipelines, like in the South Tenerife reuse system, whose main element is a completely filled 61 km long gravity pipe in cast iron. Sulphide generation, which could contribute to pipe corrosion, is a usual process taking place during transportation if anaerobic conditions prevail. In the Wastewater Treatment Plant of Santa Cruz (Tenerife, Spain) a partial nitrification process was achieved by increasing the mean residence time through the aeration step at low dissolved oxygen concentration. Such conditions, combined with the right temperature and a free ammonia concentration above 1 mg l(-1), inhibited nitratation and favoured nitritation, which led to concentrations of NO2-N above 8 mg l(-1) in the secondary effluent. During the transportation, nitrite inhibited the appearance of anaerobic conditions, and, consequently, no sulphide generation occurred. At the same time, a nitrite reduction process took place with a first order kinetics and a rate coefficient of 0.052 h(-1)' at 25 degrees C. A parallel behaviour between the nitrite depletion and the oxidation-reduction potential evolution along the pipeline was also observed.

How partial nitrification could improve reclaimed wastewater transport in long pipes.

Reclaimed wastewater transport is studied in a concrete-lined cast iron pipe, where a nitrification-denitrification process occurs. The pipe is part of the Reuse System of Reclaimed Wastewater of South Tenerife (Spain), 0.6 m in diameter and 61 km long. In order to improve wastewater quality, at 10 km from the inlet there is injection of fresh water saturated in dissolved oxygen (DO), after which a fast nitrification process usually appears (less than two hours of space time). The amount of oxidized nitrogen compounds produced varies between 0.8 and 4.4 mg/l NOx(-)-N. When DO has disappeared, a denitrification process begins. The removal of nitrite is complete at the end of the pipe, whereas the nitrate does not disappear completely, leaving a concentration of about 0.4-0.5 mg/l. For a COD/NOx(-)-N ratio higher than 5, a first order nitrification rate in NOx(-)-N has resulted, with the constant k20 = 0.079 h-1, for a NOx(-)-N concentration range of 0.8-4.4 mg/l. Finally the following temperature dependency for the first order denitrification rate constant has been found: k = k20 x 1 x 15T-20. Although nitrogen could be used as nutrient in the agricultural reuse, its removal from reclaimed wastewater could be useful in order to diminish the chlorine needs for reclaimed wastewater disinfection.