The effect of seed sludge on the selection of a photo-EBPR system
[Display omitted] •An alternative strategy to attain a Photo - EBPR system is proposed.•A Photo-EBPR system can be successfully selected from activated sludge.•Algae-Polyphosphate accumulating organism consortium selected under dark/light cycles.•Phosphorus removal was obtained without the need for...
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Veröffentlicht in: | New biotechnology 2019-03, Vol.49, p.112-119 |
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Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | [Display omitted]
•An alternative strategy to attain a Photo - EBPR system is proposed.•A Photo-EBPR system can be successfully selected from activated sludge.•Algae-Polyphosphate accumulating organism consortium selected under dark/light cycles.•Phosphorus removal was obtained without the need for aeration.
The phototrophic-enhanced biological phosphorus removal system (photo-EBPR) was recently proposed as an alternative photosynthetic process to conventional phosphorus removal. Previous work showed the possibility of obtaining a photo-EBPR system starting from a culture already enriched in polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs). The present work evaluated whether the same could be achieved starting from conventional activated sludge. A sequencing batch reactor inoculated with sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was fed with a mixture of acetate and propionate (75%:25%) and subjected to dark/light cycles to select a photo-EBPR system containing PAOs and photosynthetic organisms, the oxygen providers for the system. The results showed that it is possible to obtain a photo-EBPR system starting from a WWTP sludge, although the process is slower than when started with a sludge already enriched in PAOs. After 15 days of operation, the system could remove 60 ± 2 mg-P/L of phosphorus (approximately 67% of the concentration at the end of dark period) in the light period, from which 13 ± 1 mg-P/L was removed during the phase without external air supply. These results indicate that a photo-EBPR system can be obtained independently of the seed sludge initially used, provided that a suitable operating strategy is implemented, i.e. by imposing conditions that favour the growth and coexistence of PAOs and photosynthetic microorganisms. |
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ISSN: | 1871-6784 1876-4347 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.nbt.2018.10.003 |