Search

In this study, a modified continuous-flow nitrifying reactor was successfully operated for rapid cultivation of micro-granules and achieving robust nitritation. Results showed that sludge granulation with mean size of ca. 100 µm was achieved within three weeks by gradually increasing settling velocity-based selection pressure from 0.48 to 0.9 m/hr. Though Nitrospira like nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were enriched in the micro-granules with a ratio between ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and NOB of 5.7%/6.5% on day 21, fast nitritation was achieved within one-week by gradually increasing of influent ammonium concentration (from 50 to 200 mg/L). Maintaining ammonium in-excess was the key for repressing NOB in the micro-granules. Interestingly, when the influent ammonium concentration switched back to 50 mg/L still with the residual ammonium of 15-25 mg/L, the nitrite accumulation efficiency increased from 90% to 98%. Experimental results suggested that the NOB repression was intensified by both oxygen and nitrite unavailability in the inner layers of micro-granules. Unexpectedly, continuous operation with ammonium in excess resulted in overproduction of extracellular polysaccharides and overgrowth of some bacteria (e.g., Nitrosomonas, Arenimonas, and Flavobacterium), which deteriorated the micro-granule stability and drove the micro-granules aggregation into larger ones with irregular morphology. However, efficient nitritation was stably maintained with extremely high ammonium oxidation potential (> 50 mg/g VSS/hr) and nearly complete washout of NOB was obtained. This suggested that smooth and spherical granule was not a prerequisite for achieving NOB wash-out and maintaining effective nitritation in the granular reactor. Overall, the micro-granules exhibited a great practical potential for high-rate nitritation., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Effects of sludge age on volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production and Phosphorus (P) release during anaerobic acidification of waste activated sludge (WAS) were investigated. Sequencing batch reactors (SBR) fed with simulating domestic sewage were applied to produce WAS of different sludge ages, and batch tests were used for anaerobic acidification. The maximum dissolved total organic carbon, release of  PO 4 3+ -P, and accumulation of acetate (C2), propionate (C3), butyrate (C4), and valerate (C5) decreased by 56.2%, 55.8%, 52.6%, 43.7%, 82.4% and 84.8%, respectively, as the sludge age of WAS increased from 5 to 40 days. Limited degradation of protein played a dominating role in decreasing DTOC and VFAs production. Moreover, the increase in molecular weight of organics and organic nitrogen content in the supernatant after acidification suggested that the refractory protein in WAS increased as sludge age extended. Although the production of C2, C3, C4, and C5 from WAS decreased as the sludge age increased, the proportions of C2 and C3 in VFAs increased, which might be due to the declined production of C5 from protein and the faded genus Dechlorobacter. Keeping sludge age of WAS at a relatively low level (<10 days) is more appropriate for anaerobic acidification of WAS as internal carbon sources and P resource., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Exploration of biodemulsifiers has become a new research aspect. Using waste frying oils (WFOs) as carbon source to synthesize biodemulsifiers has a potential prospect to decrease production cost and to improve the application of biodemulsifiers in the oilfield. In this study, a demulsifying strain, Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1, was investigated to synthesize a biodemulsifier using waste frying oils as carbon source. It was found that the increase of initial pH of culture medium could increase the biodemulsifier yield but decrease the demulsification ratio compared to that using paraffin as carbon source. In addition, a biodemulsifier produced by waste frying oils and paraffin as mixed carbon source had a lower demulsification capability compared with that produced by paraffin or waste frying oil as sole carbon source. Fed-batch fermentation of biodemulsifier using waste frying oils as supplementary carbon source was found to be a suitable method. Mechanism of waste frying oils utilization was studied by using tripalmitin, olein and tristearin as sole carbon sources to synthesize biodemulsifier. The results showed saturated long-chain fatty acid was difficult for S-XJ-1 to utilize but could effectively enhance the demulsification ability of the produced biodemulsifier. Moreover, FT-IR result showed that the demulsification capability of biodemulsifiers was associated with the content of C=O group and nitrogen element.