Recycled and Virgin Plastic Carriers In Hybrid Reactors for Wastewater Treatment

• Published in: Water environment research Vol. 79; no. 7; pp. 765 - 774
• Main Authors: Paul, Etienne, Wolff, Delmira Beatriz, Ochoa, Juan Carlos, da Costa, Rejane Helena Ribeiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA Water Environment Federation 01-07-2007; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Activated sludge; Air flow; Applied sciences; biofilm; Biofilms; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Carbon - metabolism; Chemical engineering; Chemical oxygen demand; Conservation of Natural Resources; Exact sciences and technology; floating carriers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General purification processes; hybrid reactor; Liquids; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Nitrification; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Nutrient removal; Others; Oxygen; Pollution; Polyethylene; Process engineering; Reactors; RESEARCH PAPERS; Surface roughness; Suspended solids; Systems design; Various methods and equipments; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water treatment; Water treatment and pollution; Activated sludge; Biomass; Nitrogen; Retention time; Density; Waste water; Biological purification; Bioreactor; Pollution; Hybrid reactor; Nitrification; Waste water purification; Plastics
• ISSN: 1061-4303; 1554-7531
• DOI: 10.2175/106143006X123139

The reduction of organic and nitrogen pollution of wastewater was investigated in two hybrid reactors and compared with the reduction obtained by using a conventional activated sludge reactor (ASR) run as a control. Both HR-1 and HR-2 were activated sludge systems where a low-density carrier, P1 (polyethylene) for HR-1 and P2 (recycled plastics) for HR-2, was added. Firstly, the three reactors were operated at 10 days Suspended Solid Retention Time (SRTSS), leading to a complete nitrification. Secondly, the SRT SS for each reactor was lowered to 3 days. Nitrification was lost for the ASR but remained complete for HR's. Respirometric techniques were used to measure fixed or suspended biomass activities for heterotrophic and autotrophic biomass. More than 90 % of the autotrophic activity was found on the supports whatever the SRT SS used. The results may underline the role of the carrier geometry or surface characteristics on the autotrophic/heterotrophic microorganism distribution.