Simultaneous biological removal of sulfur, nitrogen and carbon using EGSB reactor.
High-rate biological conversion of sulfide and nitrate in synthetic wastewater to, respectively, elemental sulfur (S(0)) and nitrogen-containing gas (such as N(2)) was achieved in an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor. A novel strategy was adopted to first cultivate mature granules using anaerobic sludge as seed sludge in sulfate-laden medium. The cultivated granules were then incubated in sulfide-laden medium to acclimate autotrophic denitrifiers. The incubated granules converted sulfide, nitrate, and acetate simultaneously in the same EGSB reactor to S(0), N-containing gases and CO(2) at loading rates of 3.0 kg S m(-3) d(-1), 1.45 kg N m(-3) d(-1), and 2.77 kg Ac m(-1) d(-1), respectively, and was not inhibited by sulfide concentrations up to 800 mg l(-1). Effects of the C/N ratio on granule performance were identified. The granules cultivated in the sulfide-laden medium have Pseudomonas spp. and Azoarcus sp. presenting the heterotrophs and autotrophs that co-work in the high-rate EGSB-SDD (simultaneous desulfurization and denitrification) reactor.
Chen
Chuan
C
School of Municipal & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Ren
Nanqi
N
Wang
Aijie
A
Yu
Zhenguo
Z
Lee
Duu-Jong
DJ
D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D007220:Industrial Waste; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007220:Industrial Waste; D012722:Sewage; D013455:Sulfur; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen