Abstract
The effect of step-feed on biological ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) removal in a rotating biological contactor (RBC) system consisting of two three-stage units (one control and one step-feed) treating synthetic wastewater was examined. The performance of the step-feed RBC was evaluated in comparison to a regularly fed RBC in terms of NH3-N removals and stage-dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions over a range of hydraulic and organic loading rates (HLR = 0.032 to 0. 125 m3 m-2. d-1 and OLR = 11.03 to 111.6 g COD m-2.d-1 ). The results indicate that the step-feed unit showed better removal efficiency (%) at high HLR and ORL than the regularly fed control unit. Increasing the HLR and the OLR resulted in a decrease in DO in all the stages of the two units. However, DO values in the step-feed system were higher than those recorded for the control system. In addition, O2 limiting conditions (DO < 2 mg l-1 ) and heavy growth of Beggiatoa were detected in stage 1 of the control unit at high loading rates.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 177-191 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Water, Air, and Soil Pollution |
| Volume | 150 |
| Issue number | 1-4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2003 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Ammonia-nitrogen
- Hydraulic loading rate
- Organic loading rate
- Removal
- Rotating biological contactor (RBC)
- Step-feed
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Chemistry
- Ecological Modeling
- Water Science and Technology
- Pollution