title: Application of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) biosensor for optimization of biological carbon and nitrogen removal from synthetic wastewater in a sequencing batch reactor system.
abstract: A bench scale reactor using a sequencing batch reactor process was used to evaluate the applicability of biosensors for the process optimization of biological carbon and nitrogen removal. A commercial biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) biosensor with a novel microbial membrane was used to determine the duration of each phase by measuring samples in real time in an SBR cycle with filling/anoxic-anaerobic/aerobic/sludge wasting/settling/withdrawal periods. Possible strategies to increase the efficiency for the biological removal of carbon and nitrogen from synthetic wastewater have been developed. The results show that application of a BOD biosensor enables estimation of organic carbon, in real time, allowing the optimization or reduction the SBR cycle time. Some typical consumption patterns for organic carbon in the non-aeration phase of a typical SBR operation were identified. The rate of decrease of BOD measured using a sensor BOD, was the highest in the initial glucose breakdown period and during denitrification. It then slowed down until a 'quiescent period' was observed, which may be considered as the commencement of the aeration period. Monitoring the BOD curve with a BOD biosensor allowed the reduction of the SBR cycle time, which leads to an increase in the removal efficiency. By reducing the cycle time from 8 to 4 h cycle, the removal efficiencies of nitrate, glucose, and phosphorus in a given time interval, were increased to nearly double, while the removal of nitrogen ammonium was increased by one-third.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Barford
authors.lastname: Lindawati
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renneberg
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000378:metabolism; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000517:prevention & control; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen