Sludge reduction by a micro-aerobic hydrolysis process: A full-scale application and sludge reduction mechanisms.

The process performance of a full-scale sludge process reduction activated sludge (SPRAS) system in long-term operation were investigated by inserting a micro-aerobic tank and a clarifier before conventional activated sludge process. The full-scale SPRAS for industrial park wastewater treatment achieved efficient pollutants removal and a low observed sludge yield of 0.074 g SS/g COD. Batch tests showed that influent feeding into the micro-aerobic tank favored sludge reduction, and obtained a sludge decay constant of 0.168 d-1. The SPRAS enriched slow growers and hydrolytic bacteria for sludge reduction, showed high simultaneous nitrification and denitrification efficiency in the micro-aerobic tank with abundant denitrifying bacteria, and improved sludge settleability by enriching floc-forming bacteria. Process configuration of the SPRAS was beneficial to enhance maintenance metabolism, cyclic micro-aerobic and anaerobic uncoupling, and lysis-cryptic growth for sludge reduction. Techno-economic analysis showed that the SPRAS greatly reduced sludge production with small footprint and low cost.

Sludge reduction and microbial structures of aerobic, micro-aerobic and anaerobic side-stream reactor coupled membrane bioreactors.

An anoxic/oxic membrane bioreactor (MBR) and three side-stream reactor (SSR) coupled membrane bioreactors were operated in parallel to investigate effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) level in SSR on sludge reduction and microbial community structure of SSR-MBRs. The four MBRs were equally efficient in COD and ammonium nitrogen removal. The anaerobic and micro-aerobic SSR favored nitrogen removal through denitrification, simultaneous nitrification and denitrification and autochthonous substrate release as carbon source. The micro-aerobic SSR achieved greatly higher sludge reduction efficiency (61.1%) than anaerobic (37.3%) and aerobic SSR (7.9%). Micro-aerobic SSR obtained the highest endogenous decay constant (0.035 d-1) compared to anaerobic (0.023 d-1) and aerobic SSR (0.015 d-1). High-throughput sequencing results revealed that anaerobic SSR enriched hydrolytic and fermentative bacteria, aerobic environment favored the growth of slow-growing bacteria, and micro-aerobic SSR stimulated biological activities of both anaerobic and aerobic bacteria.

Effects of hydraulic retention time on process performance of anaerobic side-stream reactor coupled membrane bioreactors: Kinetic model, sludge reduction mechanism and microbial community structures.

An anoxic/oxic membrane bioreactor (AO-MBR) and three anaerobic side-stream reactor (ASSR) coupled MBRs (ASSR-MBR) were operated to investigate the effects of hydraulic retention time of ASSR (HRTA) and to elucidate sludge reduction mechanisms in ASSR-MBRs. Increasing HRTA from 3.3 to 6.6 h improved nitrogen removal, and enhanced sludge reduction from 8.0% to 40.9% in ASSR-MBR. The sludge decay coefficient was 0.0221 d-1 in MBRs, and 0.0231-0.0345 d-1 in ASSRs. The measured lysis rate coefficient of heterotrophic biomass was 0.083-0.112 d-1 in MBRs and 0.079-0.111 d-1 in ASSRs. The hydrolysis rate coefficient of inactive particulate organic matters (POMs) in ASSRs significantly exceeded that in the MBR. At HRTA of 6.6 h, POMs hydrolysis in ASSR (38.6%) is the dominant route of sludge reduction, and cell lysis occurred principally in aerobic tanks. Illumina-MiSeq sequencing showed ASSR-MBRs enriched hydrolytic and fermentative bacteria, and confirmed that anaerobic hydrolysis contributed most to sludge reduction.

Effects of side-stream ratio on sludge reduction and microbial structures of anaerobic side-stream reactor coupled membrane bioreactors.

An anoxic/oxic membrane bioreactor (AO-MBR) and three anaerobic side-stream reactor (ASSR) coupled MBRs (ASSR-MBR) were operated to investigate effects of side-stream ratio (SR) on sludge reduction and microbial community structure of ASSR-MBRs. The ASSR-MBR achieved efficient COD and ammonium nitrogen removal. SR increased from 0.2 to 1.0 favored nitrogen removal, and increased sludge reduction from 6.0% to 49.7%. The total released COD in the ASSR increased with the rising SR and was inversely proportional to sludge yield of ASSR-MBR. Pyrosequencing analysis showed that phyla Chloroflexi and Armatimonadetes surviving in anaerobic conditions were enriched in the ASSR, while Nitrospirae was dominant in the MBR. Comparison at the genus level revealed that higher SR favored the growth of slow growers, while lower SR enriched hydrolytic and predatory bacteria. The results suggested that SR has a profound effect on nitrogen removal, sludge reduction and microbial community structure in the ASSR-MBR.

Sludge reduction and microbial community structure in an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process coupled with potassium ferrate disintegration.

An anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (AAO) wastewater treatment system combining with a potassium ferrate (K2FeO4) oxidation side-stream reactor (SSR) was proposed for sludge reduction. Batch experiments showed that optimal K2FeO4 dosage and reaction time for sludge disintegration was 100mg/g suspended solids (SS) and 24h, respectively. Subsequently, an AAO-SSR and a conventional AAO were operated in parallel to investigate effects of K2FeO4 oxidation on process performance, sludge characteristics and microbial community structures. The AAO-SSR process operated under the optimized condition achieved efficient COD and NH4+-N removal, and reduced sludge by 47.5% with observed yield coefficient of 0.21gSS/g COD. K2FeO4 addition broke sludge particles, increased dissolved organic matters in the mixed liquor, and improved sludge dewaterability. Illumina-MiSeq sequencing results showed that K2FeO4 oxidation in the AAO-SSR decreased microbial richness and diversity, enriched slow growers (Dechloromonas), anaerobic fermentative bacteria (Azospira) and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (Ferribacterium), but limited the growth of phosphate-accumulating organisms.

Effects of dissolved oxygen on performance and microbial community structure in a micro-aerobic hydrolysis sludge in situ reduction process.

A sludge process reduction activated sludge (SPRAS), with a sludge process reduction module composed of a micro-aerobic tank and a settler positioned before conventional activated sludge process, showed good performance of pollutant removal and sludge reduction. Two SPRAS systems were operated to investigate effects of micro-aeration on sludge reduction performance and microbial community structure. When dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in the micro-aerobic tank decreased from 2.5 (SPH) to 0.5 (SPL) mg/L, the sludge reduction efficiency increased from 42.9% to 68.3%. Compared to SPH, activated sludge in SPL showed higher contents of extracellular polymeric substances and dissolved organic matter. Destabilization of floc structure in the settler, and cell lysis in the sludge process reduction module were two major reasons for sludge reduction. Illumina-MiSeq sequencing showed that microbial diversity decreased under high DO concentration. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi were the most abundant phyla in the SPRAS. Specific comparisons down to the class and genus level showed that fermentative, predatory and slow-growing bacteria in SPL community were more abundant than in SPH. The results revealed that micro-aeration in the SPRAS improved hydrolysis efficiency and enriched fermentative and predatory bacteria responsible for sludge reduction.

[Spectral Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matters in Reject Water from Wastewater Treatment Plants].

Reject water generated from sludge thickening, dewatering and stabilization process contains high-content and complex dissolved organic matters (DOM). The spectral characteristics of DOM in the reject water were investigated by three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Fluorescent DOM (FDOM) from reject water were decomposed into six components by parallel factor analysis, the protein-like C1 (275/355 nm), C4 (235/350 nm) and C6 (275/305 nm) and the humic-like C2 (250, 340/440 nm) , C3 (320/380 nm) and CS (250/465 nm). Soluble COD in the sludge thickening reject water was positively correlated with all the three humic-like substances at P < 0.01 level, and was insignificantly influenced by protein-like substances. The tryptophan-like C1, C4 and humic-like CS increased in the centrifugal dewatering reject water (CDRW). FDOM in the advanced dewatering reject water (ADRW) were significantly different from those of other reject water in fluorescence peak locations and intensities, and humic-like C3 and tyrosine-like C6 in the DOM were 15.63 and 7.30 times higher than those in CDRW. Compared to sludge thickening reject water, infrared peaks related to polysaccharide and humic substances in CDRW were enhanced and massive proteins were released into ADRW. DOM structures in ADRW were changed owing to the complexation between metals and both humic substances and proteins.