Treatment of domestic sewage and leachate using a moving bed hybrid bioreactor

The treatment of domestic sewage using a moving bed hybrid bioreactor (MBHBR) was investigated by varying the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (156 ± 14-1141 ± 78 mg/L), ammonia (NH3-N) (2 ± 0.08-48.24 ± 0.93 mg/L), phosphorus (PO4-P) (97 ± 3.2-281 ± 2.65 mg/L), and hydraulic retention times (HRTs). Initially, the reactor was operated at start-up mode (COD: 156 ± 14 mg/L), and gradually the COD concentrations were increased from phase-I (257 ± 24 mg/L) to phase-V (1141 ± 78 mg/L) by reducing the HRTs from 48 to 3 h. A significant improvement in COD removal, maximum up to 96%, was observed at a concentration of 858 ± 51 mg/L (phase-IV), then a sudden drop up to 81% was observed at a higher concentration of 1141 ± 78 mg/L (phase-V). Due to the increase in COD concentrations, average NH3-N removal was dropped from 85 to 32% from phase-I to Phase-V, respectively. In addition, the stability of MBHBR was studied to understand its performance in shut-down and shock loading phases. The co-treatment of sewage and leachate was also performed in MBHBR (COD: 864-881 mg/L and HRT: 6 h), which showed a COD removal of 77%–80% and NH3-N removal of 60%–94%. Proteobacteria was identified as a predominant species in MBHBR, which played a significant role in the co-treatment of sewage and leachate. The maximum biodegradation rate (rmax) and half-saturation constant (Ks) were estimated as 13.3 mg/L h and 361.8 mg/L, respectively. [Display omitted] •Moving bed hybrid bioreactor (MBHBR) is effective in removing organics and ammonia.•Polyurethane sponge as bio-carrier enhanced biomass retention.•MBHBR showed better performance at higher influent concentrations of sewage.•Effect of shut-down and shock loading on MBHBR showed its stability.•Proteobacteria is the predominant species treated the sewage and leachate.