title: Performance of an aerobic granular sequencing batch reactor fed with wastewaters contaminated with Zn2+.
abstract: The main aim of this study was to investigate the performance of an aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor (AGS-SBR) receiving water streams supplied with different loads of Zn(2+) (50 and 100 mg L(-1)) during an operation of 866 cycles (ca. 109 days). When the metal was not fed, chemical oxygen demand (COD), PO4(3-) and NH4(+) were efficiently removed, with efficiencies of 56, 23 and 72% respectively. DGGE profiles showed that Zn(2+) supply negatively affected the bacterial diversity and community structure of the granules. Consequently, the shock loadings with Zn(2+), particularly at the higher levels (100 mg L(-1)), affected the nutrient removal in the AGS-SBR, although the reactor still generally complied with admissible legal values concerning organic matter, nitrogen and Zn. Simultaneous removal of PO4(3-) and TSS in such conditions needs further refining but the application of aerobic granular SBR in the treatment of Zn(2+) contaminated wastewaters seems viable.
authors.affiliation: CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal. amarques@porto.ucp.pt
authors.forename: Ana P G C
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Anouk F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Duque
authors.forename: Vânia S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Bessa
authors.forename: Raquel B R
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.forename: António O S S
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.forename: Paula M L
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Castro
mesh_terms: D064751:Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D044822:Biodiversity; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D064751:Ammonium Compounds; D010710:Phosphates; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D062065:Wastewater; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Aerobic granular sludge (AGS); Sequencing batch reactor (SBR); Wastewater; Zinc