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Para-chlorophenol (4-chlorophenol, 4-CP) containing synthetic wastewater was treated using a rotating perforated tubes biofilm reactor (RTBR). Box-Wilson statistical experiment design and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to investigate the effects of the feed COD, 4-CP contents and the A/Q (biofilm surface/flow rate) ratio on percent COD, 4-CP and toxicity removals. Increases in A/Q ratio and the feed COD contents improved COD, 4-CP and toxicity removals. High feed 4-CP contents adversely affected the system performance due to toxic effects of 4-CP on microorganisms. High A/Q ratio and feed COD contents were required for effective 4-CP and toxicity removals at high feed 4-CP contents. More than 95% 4-CP and toxicity removals were obtained with an A/Q ratio of 186 m(2) d m(-3), and feed COD of 6000 mg L(-1) with the feed 4-CP content of 1000 mg L(-1). The RTBR was proven to be more efficient than the RBBR used for the same purpose in our previous studies., (2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biological treatment of synthetic wastewater containing Cu(II) ions was realized in an activated sludge unit with pre-adsorption of Cu(II) onto powdered waste sludge (PWS). Box-Behnken experimental design method was used to investigate Cu(II), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and toxicity removal performance of the activated sludge unit under different operating conditions. The independent variables were the solids retention time (SRT, 5-30 d), hydraulic residence time (HRT, 5-25 h), feed Cu(II) concentration (0-50 mg L(-1)) and PWS loading rate (0-4 g h(-1)) while percent Cu(II), COD, toxicity (TOX) removals and the sludge volume index (SVI) were the objective functions. The data were correlated with a quadratic response function (R2=0.99). Cu(II), COD and toxicity removals increased with increasing PWS loading rate and SRT while decreasing with the increasing feed Cu(II) concentration and HRT. Optimum conditions resulting in maximum Cu(II), COD, toxicity removals and SVI values were found to be SRT of 30 d, HRT 15 h, PWS loading rate 3 g h(-1) and feed Cu(II) concentration of less than 30 mg L(-1).

Synthetic wastewater containing 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) was biologically treated using a hybrid-loop bioreactor system consisting of a packed column biofilm reactor (PCBR) and an aerated tank with effluent recycle. Effects of the feed DCP concentration on COD, DCP and toxicity removals were investigated. Biomass concentration in the packed column and in the aeration tank decreased with increasing feed DCP content due to toxic effects of DCP on the microorganisms. Low biomass concentrations at high DCP contents resulted in low COD, DCP and toxicity removals. Therefore, percent DCP, COD and toxicity removals decreased with increasing feed DCP content. Nearly 70% COD removal was achieved with a feed DCP content of 380 mg L(-1). The system should be operated with the feed DCP lower than 100 mg L(-1) in order to obtain DCP, COD and toxicity removals above 90%.

A newly developed rotating brush biofilm reactor was used for DCP, COD and toxicity removal from 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) containing synthetic wastewater at different feed COD, TCP concentrations and A/Q (biofilm surface area/feed flow rate) ratios. A Box-Wilson statistical experiment design was used by considering the feed DCP (50-500 mg l(-1)), COD (2000-6000 mg l(-1)) and A/Q ratio (73-293 m2 d m(-3)) as the independent variables while percent DCP, COD, and toxicity removals were the objective functions. The experimental data were correlated by a quadratic response function and the coefficients were determined by regression analysis. Percent DCP, COD and toxicity removals calculated from the response functions were in good agreement with the experimental data. DCP, COD and toxicity removals increased with increasing A/Q ratio and decreasing feed DCP concentrations. The optimum A/Q ratio resulting in the highest COD (90%), DCP (100%) and toxicity (100%) removals with the highest feed COD (6000 mg l(-1)) and DCP (500 mg l(-1)) contents was nearly 210 m2 d m(-3).

A lactose utilizing yeast strain, Kluyveromyces marxianus DSMZ-7239 was used for ethanol formation from cheese-whey powder (CWP) solution in batch experiments. Effects of initial substrate (CWP) and yeast concentrations on the rate and extent of ethanol formation were investigated. The initial pH and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) was kept at 5 and -250 mV, respectively. The rate and extent of ethanol formation increased with increasing CWP concentration up to 156 g l(-1) (75 g l(-1) sugar) and then decreased for larger CWP concentrations due to substrate inhibition at high sugar concentrations. The ethanol yield coefficient was also maximum (0.54 g EtOH/g sugar) and equal to the theoretical yield at CWP concentration of 156 g l(-1). The growth yield coefficient was found to be Y(x/s)=1.2+/-0.1g biomass g sugar(-1). The rate of sugar utilization and ethanol formation also increased linearly with increasing initial biomass concentrations. A kinetic model describing the rate of sugar utilization and substrate inhibition as function of the initial substrate and the biomass concentrations was developed. The kinetic constants were determined using the experimental data. Model predictions of sugar utilization rates were in good agreement with the experimental data. The results indicated that the initial sugar concentration should be below 75 g l(-1) (CWP<156 g l(-1)) and the initial biomass should be above 850 mg l(-1) to obtain high rates and yields of ethanol formation and to avoid substrate inhibition.

Biosorption of Cu(II) ions onto pre-treated powdered waste sludge (PWS) was investigated using a fed-batch operated completely mixed reactor. Fed-batch adsorption experiments were performed by varying the feed flow rate ( 0.075-0.325 l h(-1)), feed copper (II) ion concentrations (50-300 mg l(-1)) and the amount of adsorbent (1-6 g PWS) using fed-batch operation. Breakthrough curves describing the variations of effluent copper ion concentrations with time were determined for different operating conditions. Percent copper ion removals from the aqueous phase decreased, but the biosorbed (solid phase) copper ion concentrations increased with increasing the feed flow rate and Cu(II) concentration. A modified Bohart-Adams equation was used to determine the biosorption capacity of PWS and the rate constant for Cu(II) ion biosorption. Adsorption rate constant in fed-batch operation was an order of magnitude larger than those obtained in adsorption columns because of elimination of mass transfer limitations encountered in the column operations while the biosorption capacity of PWS was comparable with powdered activated (PAC) in column operations. Therefore, a completely mixed reactor operated in fed-batch mode was proven to be more advantageous as compared to adsorption columns due to better contact between the phases yielding faster adsorption rates.

COD, nitrogen, phosphate and para-chlorophenol (4-chlorophenol, 4-CP) removal from synthetic wastewater was investigated using a four-step sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at different sludge ages and initial para-chlorophenol (4-CP) concentrations. The nutrient removal process consisted of anaerobic, oxic, anoxic and oxic phases with hydraulic residence times (HRT) of 1/3/1/1 h and a settling phase of 0.75 h. A Box-Wilson statistical experiment design was used considering the sludge age (5-25 days) and 4-CP concentration (0-400 mg l(-1)) as independent variables. Variations of percent COD, NH4-N, PO4-P and 4-CP removals with sludge age and initial 4-CP concentration were investigated. Percent nutrient removals increased with increasing sludge age and decreasing 4-CP concentrations. Low nutrient removals were obtained at high initial 4-CP concentrations especially at low sludge ages. However, high sludge ages partially overcome the adverse effects of 4-CP and resulted in high nutrient removals. COD, NH4-N, PO4-P and 4-CP removals were 76%, 72%, 26% and 34% at a sludge age of 25 days and initial 4-CP concentration of 200 mg l(-1). Sludge volume index (SVI) also decreased with increasing sludge age and decreasing 4-CP concentrations. An SVI value of 104 ml g(-1) was obtained at a sludge age of 25 days and initial 4-CP of 200 mg l(-1).

Biological treatment of landfill leachate usually results in low COD removals because of high chemical oxygen demand (COD), high ammonium-N content and presence of toxic compounds. Coagulation-flocculation with lime addition and air stripping of ammonia were used as pre-treatment in this study in order to improve biological treatability of the leachate. Pre-treated leachate was subjected to adsorbent supplemented biological treatment in an aeration tank operated in fed-batch mode. COD and NH(4)-N removal performances of powdered activated carbon (PAC) and powdered zeolite (PZ) were compared during biological treatment. Adsorbent concentrations varied between 0 and 5 gl(-1). Percent COD and ammonium-N removals increased with increasing adsorbent concentrations. Percent COD removals with PAC addition were significantly higher than those obtained with the zeolite. However, zeolite performed better than the PAC in ammonium-N removal from the leachate. Nearly 87% and 77% COD removals were achieved with PAC and zeolite concentrations of 2 gl(-1), respectively. Ammonium-N removals were 30% and 40% with PAC and zeolite concentrations of 5 gl(-1), respectively at the end of 30 h of fed-batch operation.

Biological treatment of nitrogen deficient wastewaters are usually accomplished by external addition of nitrogen sources to the wastewater which is an extra cost item. As an alternative for effective biological treatment of nitrogen deficient wastewaters, the nitrogen fixing bacterium, Azotobacter vinelandii, was used in activated sludge and also in pure culture. Total organic carbon (TOC) removal performances of Azotobacter-added and free activated sludge cultures were compared at different initial TN/TOC ratios. The rate and extent of TOC removal were comparable for all cultures when initial TN/TOC ratio was larger than 0.12; however, both the rate and extent of TOC removal from nitrogen deficient (TN/TOC<12%) synthetic wastewater were improved by using Azotobacter-added activated sludge as compared to the Azotobacter-free activated sludge culture. More than 90% TOC removal was obtained with pure Azotobacter or Azotobacter-added activated sludge culture from a nitrogen deficient synthetic wastewater., (Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ltd.)

Sequencing batch operation was used for nutrient (COD, NH4-N, NO3-N, PO4-P) removal from synthetic wastewater by using different carbon sources. Operation consisted of anaerobic, anoxic, oxic, anoxic and oxic (An/Ax/Ox/Ax/Ox) phases with durations of 2/1/4.5/1.5/1.5 h. Glucose, acetate and a mixture of glucose/acetate were used as carbon source to yield a COD/N/P ratio of 100/5/1.5 in the feed. Sludge age was kept constant at 10 days. COD, NH4-N, NO3-N and PO4-P removal efficiencies were maximum at the levels of 96%, 87%, 81% and 90% respectively, when a mixture (50/50) of glucose and acetate was used.