Nitrification, denitrification and biological phosphorus removal in piggery wastewater using a sequencing batch reactor.
Nutrients in piggery wastewater with high organic matter, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content were biologically removed in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with anaerobic, aerobic and anoxic stages. The SBR was operated with 3 cycles/day, temperature 30 degrees C, sludge retention time (SRT) 1 day and hydraulic retention time (HRT) 11 days. With a wastewater containing 1500 mg/l ammonium and 144 mg/l phosphate, a removal efficiency of 99.7% for nitrogen and 97.3% for phosphate was obtained. Experiments set up to evaluate the effect of temperature on the process showed that it should be run at temperatures higher than 16 degrees C to obtain good removals (> 95%). Batch tests (ammonia utilization rate, nitrogen utilization rate and oxygen utilization rate) proved to be good tools to evaluate heterotrophic and autotrophic biomass activity. The SBR proved to be a very flexible tool, and was particularly suitable for the treatment of piggery wastewater, characterized by high nutrient content and by frequent changes in composition and therefore affecting process conditions.
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès, no 1, planta 6, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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Macé
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Costa
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Mata-Alvarez
D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen