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The recovery of biopolymers from sewage sludge could be a crucial step in implementing circular economy principles in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). In this frame, the present study was aimed at evaluating the simultaneous production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) obtainable from the treatment of agro-industrial wastewater. Two biological enrichment systems, aerobic granular sludge (AGS) and a conventional activated sludge operating as a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), were monitored for 204 and 186 days, respectively. The maximum biopolymers accumulation capacity was close to 0.60 mgPHA-EPS gVSS−1 in the AGS when operating at 3 kgCODm−3d−1, whereas in the SBR, it was about half (0.35 mgPHA-EPS gVSS−1). Biopolymers extracted from the AGS were mainly constituted by EPS (>70%), whose percentage increased up to 95% with the OLR applied in the enrichment reactor. In contrast, SBR enabled obtaining a higher PHA production (50% of the biopolymers). Results suggested that organic carbon was mainly channeled toward metabolic pathways for extracellular storing in AGS, likely due to metabolic stressors (e.g., hydraulic selection pressure, shear forces) applied for promoting aerobic granulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Stricter effluent limits, water shortage conditions, land availability requires today even more the needs of advanced wastewater treatments. Attractive solutions come from membrane bioreactors (MBR), Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) or combinations (i.e., IFAS-MBRs). One crucial aspect for the applicability of this overall new technology, compared to the conventional activated sludge systems, is the lack of knowledge for design and manage (e.g., kinetic constants, optimal operative conditions etc.). In view of the above frame, the aim of the present study was to assess the kinetic and stoichiometric parameters of bacterial species in MBRs by means of respirometric techniques. Plant configurations, operational conditions and wastewater features (domestic/industrial) were analysed. Four different MBR plants were investigated: i) sequencing batch MBR subjected to a gradual salinity increase; ii) pre-denitrification MBR treating saline wastewater contaminated by hydrocarbons; iii) University of Cape Town (UCT) MBR treating domestic wastewater subjected to a carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio variation; iiii) UCT- IFAS -MBR treating domestic wastewater. Results show a significant influence on biomass respiratory activity from both plant configurations and operational conditions. The salinity increase severely affected the activity of autotrophic species, while heterotrophic community was mainly influenced by the C/N variation. Moreover, it was observed a specialization in the IFAS-MBR configuration, with the suspended biomass more affine to organic matter, whilst biofilm in the nitrification process. The respirometric analysis confirmed to be an effective tool for the evaluation of the biomass kinetic and stoichiometric parameters. The results of this study can be useful for the application of mathematical models in the design phase and for the monitoring of biomass viability during plant operations. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The study aim was to provide new insights on biokinetic behaviour of MBRs. • Respirometry was used to assess the kinetic and stoichiometric coefficients. • Heterotrophs highly suffered low C/N ratio with increased membrane fouling. • Salinity highly affected the autotrophic activity increasing the pore blocking. • It was observed a specialization of suspended and attached biomass in the IFAS-MBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study has focused on the mainstream integration of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production with industrial wastewater treatment by exploiting three different technologies all operating in sequencing batch reactors (SBR): conventional activated sludge (AS-SBR), membrane bioreactor (AS-MBR) and aerobic granular sludge (AGS). A full aerobic feast/famine strategy was adopted to obtain enrichment of biomass with PHA-storing bacteria. All the systems were operated at different organic loading (OLR) rate equal to 1-2-3 kgCOD/m3∙d in three respective experimental periods. The AS-MBR showed the better and stable carbon removal performance, whereas the effluent quality of the AS-SBR and AGS deteriorated at high OLR. Biomass enrichment with PHA-storing bacteria was successfully obtained in all the systems. The AS-MBR improved the PHA productivity with increasing OLR (max 35% w/w), whereas the AS-SBR reduced the PHA content (max 20% w/w) above an OLR threshold of 2 kgCOD/m3∙d. In contrast, in the AGS the increase of OLR resulted in a significant decrease in PHA productivity (max 14% w/w) and a concomitant increase of extracellular polymers (EPS) production (max 75% w/w). Results demonstrated that organic carbon was mainly driven towards the intracellular storage pathway in the AS-SBR (max yield 51%) and MBR (max yield 61%), whereas additional stressors in AGS (e.g., hydraulic selection pressure, shear forces) induced bacteria to channel the COD into extracellular storage compounds (max yield 50%) necessary to maintain the granule's structure. The results of the present study indicated that full-aerobic feast/famine strategy was more suitable for flocculent sludge-based technologies, although biofilm-like systems could open new scenarios for other biopolymers recovery (e.g., EPS). Moreover, the AS-MBR resulted the most suitable technology for the integration of PHA production in a mainstream industrial wastewater treatment plant, considering the greater process stability and the potential reclamation of the treated wastewater. [Display omitted] • A mainstream process for PHA production was integrated with wastewater treatment. • A comparison between AS, AGS and MBR as the enrichment/treatment stage was assessed. • MBR enabled the highest PHA production potential and effluent water eligible for reuse. • Biomass enrichment under full aerobic in AGS promoted extracellular storage pathways. • Integration of PHA production in the mainstream of a WWTP resulted feasible using MBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to compare the oxygen transfer efficiency in a conventional activated sludge and a membrane bioreactor system. The oxygen transfer was evaluated by means of the oxygen transfer coefficient and α-factor calculation, under different total suspended solids concentration, extracellular polymeric substances, sludge apparent viscosity and size of the flocs. The oxygen transfer coefficient and α-factor showed an exponential decreasing trend with total suspended solid, with a stronger oxygen transfer coefficient dependence in the conventional activated sludge compared to the membrane bioreactor. It was noted that the oxygen transfer coefficient in the conventional activated sludge become comparable to that in membrane bioreactor when the total suspended solid concentration in the conventional activated sludge was higher than 5 g L−1. Operating under high carbon to nitrogen ratio, the oxygen transfer coefficient increased in both conventional activated sludge and membrane bioreactor because of sludge deflocculation and it was noticed a weaker dependence of the oxygen transfer coefficient with total suspended solid. The results indicated that the most important parameters on the oxygen transfer efficiency were in order: the total suspended solid concentration, flocs size, sludge apparent viscosity and extracellular polymeric substances content. Based on the influence of the main biomass features affecting the oxygen transfer coefficient and considering the typical operating conditions in both systems, those of membrane bioreactor appeared to be more favorable to oxygen transfer efficiency. The paper provides a useful insight about some peculiarities of oxygen transfer in a conventional activated sludge and a membrane reactor system, highlighting new and useful information in the light of a more sustainable management of these systems. Image 1 • A comparison between the oxygen transfer in CAS and MBR bench plant was carried out. • (k L a) 20 and α-factor showed exponential trends with TSS for both CAS and MBR. • (k L a) 20 values higher in MBR within a TSS range between 4 gTSS L−1 and 6 gTSS L−1. • Under similar conditions features of sludge in MBR more favorable to oxygen transfer. • TSS, EPS and viscosity should be controlled to optimize aeration efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]