title: Systematic model development for partial nitrification of landfill leachate in a SBR.
abstract: This study deals with partial nitrification in a sequencing batch reactor (PN-SBR) treating raw urban landfill leachate. In order to enhance process insight (e.g. quantify interactions between aeration, CO(2) stripping, alkalinity, pH, nitrification kinetics), a mathematical model has been set up. Following a systematic procedure, the model was successfully constructed, calibrated and validated using data from short-term (one cycle) operation of the PN-SBR. The evaluation of the model revealed a good fit to the main physical-chemical measurements (ammonium, nitrite, nitrate and inorganic carbon), confirmed by statistical tests. Good model fits were also obtained for pH, despite a slight bias in pH prediction, probably caused by the high salinity of the leachate. Future work will be addressed to the model-based evaluation of the interaction of different factors (aeration, stripping, pH, inhibitions, among others) and their impact on the process performance.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (LEQUIA), Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi s/n, Facultat de Ciències, E-17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain. ramon@lequia.udg.cat
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ganigué
authors.forename: E I P
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Volcke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Balaguer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colprim
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sin
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical