INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING ENGG 500

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Water Pollution

Presence in water of impurities in such quantity and of such nature as to

impair the use of the water for a stated purpose. It is any chemical, physical or
biological change in the quality of water that has a harmful effect on any living
thing that drinks or uses or lives (in) it.

Wastewater Treatment

Treatment of wastewater (or raw sewage) is required before it can be

safely buried, used, or released back into local water systems, e.g., river, pond,
and sea. In a treatment plant, the waste is passed through a series of screens,
chambers, and chemical processes to reduce its bulk and toxicity.
The treatment of wastewater is a general term that applies to any
operation/process that can reduce the objectionable properties of wastewater
and makes it less objectionable. Wastewater treatment is a combination of
physical, chemical and biological processes. Unit operations are the methods of

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treatment in which the application of physical forces predominate while unit

processes are those in which the chemical and biological activities are
involved.

Wastewater Treatment Objectives:

1) Removal of suspended and floatable material

2) Treatment of biodegradable organics
3) Elimination of pathogenic organisms
4) Removal of toxic compounds such as refractory organics and heavy
metals
*Refractory organics-substances that resist the conventional way of
treatment
5) Removal of nutrients

Divisions of Wastewater Treatment Systems

1. Preliminary Wastewater Treatment

 Removal of a large percentage of the suspended solids and inorganic
material to prevent damage to the remainder of the unit operations.
 Includes screening, comminution, grit removal, and floatation.
2. Primary Wastewater Treatment
 Removal of a portion of suspended solids and organic matter. The
effluent from a primary treatment will ordinarily contain organic matter
and will have a relatively high BOD. Removes about 60% of the solids
and about 30% of the BOD.
 Includes settling/sedimentation.
3. Secondary Wastewater Treatment
 Treatment which is directed principally for the removal of
biodegradable organics and suspended solids.
 Includes biological treatment processes.
4. Tertiary wastewater treatment
 Final cleaning process that improves wastewater quality before it is
reused, recycled or discharged to the environment.
 Can remove more than 99 percent of all the impurities from sewage
 IMPURITIES FROM SEWAGE: Nitrogen & Phosphorous(Nutrients),bacteria,
viruses and parasites, increased amounts of organic material,
suspended solids
(removal of ions and salts are also included.)

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 The treated effluent can then be reused for urban, landscape, and
agricultural irrigation, industrial cooling and processing, recreational
uses and water recharge, and even indirect and direct augmentation
of drinking water supplies.

Methods of Tertiary Wastewater Treatment

 Coagulation sedimentation
-Chemical coagulation sedimentation is used to increase the removal
of solids from effluent after primary and secondary treatment.
 Filtration
-Sand Filtration & Filtration over activated Carbon
 Reverse osmosis
- Pressure is used to force effluent through a membrane that retains
contaminants on one side and allows the clean water to pass to the
other side
 Nutrient Removal

5. Solids Treatment Disposal

-Collection, stabilization and subsequent disposal of the solids removed by

the other processes.

Classification of Wastewater Treatment Methods

- Contaminant removal is accomplished by a series of unit processes or unit

operations.

PHYSICAL UNIT CHEMICAL UNIT BIOLOGICAL UNIT

OPERATIONS PROCESSES PROCESSES
-Screening -Precipitation -Aerobic
- Sedimentation -Chlorination -Anaerobic
-Filtration -Disinfection
-Mixing
-Flocculation

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1. Physical Unit Operations

 Screening-removes objects such as rags, paper, plastic, and metals to
prevent damage and clogging of downstream equipment, piping, and
appurtenances.

 Sedimentation- a physical water treatment process using gravity to

remove suspended solids from water.

 Mixing - Important unit operation in wastewater treatment including:

1. Mixing of one substance completely with another
2. Blending of miscible liquids
3. Flocculation of waste particles
4. Continuous mixing of liquid suspensions
5. Heat transfer

2. Chemical unit processes

-Widely used, technology for the removal of metals and other inorganics,
suspended solids, fats, oils, greases, and some other organic substances
from wastewater by addition of chemicals and other chemical reactions

*Precipitation is a method of causing contaminants that are either

dissolved or suspended in solution to settle out of solution as a solid
precipitate, which can then be filtered, centrifuged, or otherwise
separated from the liquid portion.

3. Biological unit processes

 Treatment brought about by biological activity

 To stabilize the organic content
 To remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus

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A. PRELIMINARY TREATMENT

The objective of preliminary treatment is the removal of coarse solids and

other large materials often found in raw wastewater. Removal of these materials
is necessary to enhance the operation and maintenance of subsequent
treatment units. Preliminary treatment operations typically include coarse
screening, grit removal and, in some cases, comminution of large objects.

1. Screening- This is the first operation performed on incoming wastewater

for the purpose of removing materials that might damage equipment or
hinder further treatment. Screening devices are used to remove coarse
solids from wastewater. Coarse solids consist of sticks, rags, boards, and
other large objects pumps and other mechanical equipment and
prevents clogging of valves and other appurtenances in the wastewater
plant.

Classification of Screens:

A. Coarse Screens- usually consist of parallel bars spaced 50-150 mm

apart and inclined away from the incoming flow. Solids retained by the
bars are usually removed by manual raking in small plants while
mechanical cleaner units are used in larger plants.

B. Fine Screens- consist of woven-wire or cloth or perforated plates

mounted on a rotating disk or drum partially submerged in the flow or
on a travelling belt. Fine screens should be mechanically cleaned on a
continuous basis.

Cleaning method:

A) Mechanically-cleaned bar screens

1) Bar racks- 3-4 inches apart, filter out larger particles
2) Bar screen- 0.5 to 1.5 cm apart to filter out smarter particles
B) Manually- cleaned bar screens

2. Comminution.
-A comminutor acts as both a cutter and a screen. Its purpose is not
to remove but to shred (comminute) the solids. Comminutors, like most
screens, are mounted in a channel and the wastewater flows through
them. The rags and other debris are shredded by cutting teeth until they
can pass through the openings.

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Types of Comminutor or Shredder:

a. Hammer mill- located across flow path and intercept the coarse solids
and shreds them to approximately 8 mm in size.
b. Barminutor- uses a vertical bar screen with a cutting head that travels up
and down the racks bars, shredding the intercepted material.

3. Grit Removal
- The process of removing sand and fine gravel from a stream of domestic
waste in a Grit Chamber. Grit consists of a variety of particles including sand,
gravel, cinder, and other heavy, discrete inorganic materials found in
domestic sewage. The Environmental Protection agency’s Waste water
Technology Fact Sheet (Screening & Grit Removal), defines grit “as particles
larger than 0.21 mm (.008 in.) (65 mesh) and with a specific gravity of
greater than 2.65.”

Grit chamber
- Grit chambers are long narrow tanks that are designed to slow down the
flow so that solids such as sand, coffee grounds, and eggshells will settle out
of the water. Grit Chambers are designed to remove discrete particles with
diameters of 0.20 mm and specific gravity of 2.65.

PURPOSES:

 Protect moving mechanical equipment from abrasion and

accompanying abnormal water.
 Reduce formation of heavy deposits in pipelines, channels, and
conduits.
 Reduce the frequency of digester cleaning caused by excessive
accumulation grit.

Types of Grit Chamber:

A. Channel-type horizontal-flow
- The design is such that as wastewater flows through in horizontal
direction at a certain velocity (0.3m/s) particles will start to settle at the
channel before reaching the outlet point.

B. AERATED GRIT CHAMBER

- Designed to create a spiral flow of wastewater as it moves through the
chamber.
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C. VORTEX- TYPE GRIT CHAMBER

- Operates on similar principal and basically it has a cylindrical tank,
which is designed to create a vortex flow pattern.

Flow measurement

Flow may be measured on an instantaneous or a continuous basis. A

typical continuous system consists of a primary flow device, a flow sensor,
transmitter, flow recorder, and totalizer. Instantaneous flow measurements can
be obtained by using the primary flow device. The most common devices used
are Parshall flumes and Palmer-Bowlus flumes. These devices are essentially
open-channel venturi meters.

 Parshall Flumes
- The Parshall flume is a fixed hydraulic structure originally developed to
measure surface water and irrigation flows.

 Palmer- Bowlus Flumes

- The Palmer-Bowlus flume is a fixed hydraulic structure originally developed
to measure sanitary sewage / wastewater flows.

Pre- chlorination

The chlorination of a wastewater prior to primary treatment. In general,

the objectives of pre-chlorination are not related to disinfection, and its use is
related to either temporarily preventing further wastewater decomposition or
reducing problems associated with wastewater decomposition. The objectives
of pre-chlorination are:

1. Odor control.
2. Protection of plant structures.
3. Aid in sedimentation.
4. Reduction or delay of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

B. PRIMARY TREATMENT
This the second major phase of wastewater treatment. It
uses physical treatment methods (later on, we will see that secondary methods
use biological methods). It removes settleable or floating solids only. When
completed, it generally removes less than half of the suspended solids and BOD

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in the wastewater. By far, the most common method for primary treatment is
the primary sedimantation tank (also called the primary settling basin) as shown
below. It is a vessel in which solids settle out of water by gravity. The settleable
solids are pumped away (as sludge), while oils float to the top and are skimmed
off. Sedimentation tanks can also be adapted for secondary and tertiary
processes, and can also be used to treat drinking water.

Notice several things about the above graphic. First, the gravitational
settling of sludge is sent off to another area for further treatment and disposal.
Second, the treated effluent is sent off for further secondary (biological)
treatment. And third, this particular design skims off the grease and other
floating scum for further treatment and disposal.
The diagram below shows another design. Notice that the "scrapers"
move very slowly to help collect the sludge that settles to the bottom.

Primary sedimentation tank

The final diagram given below is the

Imhoff tank. This Imhoff tank is used in
smaller municipalities.

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Sedimentation

Sedimentation is a physical water treatment process used to settle out

suspended solids in water under the influence of gravity.
Basics on Sedimentation
 Suspended solids (or SS) - the mass of dry solids retained by a filter of a
given porosity related to the volume of the water sample. This includes
particles of a size not lower than 10μm.

 Colloids - particles of a size between 0.001 nm and 1 nm depending on

the method of quantification. Due to electrostatic forces balancing the
gravity, they are not likely to settle naturally.
 Limit sedimentation velocity of a particle- the theoretical descending
speed of a particle in clear and still water.

In Settling Process Theory, a particle will settle only if:

1. In a vertical ascending flow, the ascending water velocity is lower than the
limit sedimentation velocity.
2. In a longitudinal flow, the ratio of the length of the tank to the height of the
tank is higher than the ratio of the water velocity to the limit sedimentation
velocity.

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Sedimentation Processes:
Type 1 - Dilutes, non-flocculent, free-settling. (Every particle settles
independently.)
Type 2 - Dilute, flocculent. (Particles can flocculate as they settle.)
Type 3 - Concentrated Suspensions, Zone Settling (Sludge Thickening).
Type 4 - Concentrated Suspensions, Compression (Sludge Thickening).

Applications
1. Potable Water Treatment
Sedimentation in potable water treatment generally follows a step of
chemical coagulation and flocculation, which allows grouping particles
together into flocs of a bigger size. This increases the settling speed of
suspended solids and allows settling colloids.

2. Waste Water Treatment

Sedimentation is often used as a primary stage in modern waste water
treatment plant, reducing the content of suspended solids as well as the
pollutant embedded in the suspended solids.

3. Technology
Sedimentation tanks can be of different shapes, often rectangular
or circular. They are sized in order to have an optimal sedimentation
speed. If sedimentation speed is too high, most particles will not have
sufficient time to settle, and will be carried with the treated water. If the
speed is too low, the tanks will be of an excessive size.

C. SECONDARY TREATMENT

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- Usually consists of biological conversion of dissolved and colloidal

organics into biomass that can subsequently be removed by
sedimentation
- Biological Wastewater Treatment

BIOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT

• In biological treatment, microorganisms use the organics in wastewater as

food supply and convert them into biological cells or biomass.

• Microorganisms used come in a wide variety due to wide variety of

organics. They come in a mixed culture for complete treatment of the
wastewater. In this case, the different cultures will utilize the food source
most suitable for their metabolism. Most mixed cultures also will contain
grazers (organisms that prey on other species).

• The microorganisms involved in wastewater treatment are essentially the

same as those that degrade organic material in natural fresh water
systems. However, the processes are not just allowed to proceed in their
natural fashion but are carefully controlled in engineered reactors to
optimize both the rate and completeness of organic removal. As an
effect, removal efficiencies that would be effected over a period of days
in natural systems are accomplished in a period of hours in engineered
systems.

Phases:

• Lag phase – acclimation period

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• Log – growth / exponential phase – growth is at logarithmic rate

• Stationary phase – growth of some microorganisms is offset by death of
some (food becomes limiting)
• Endogenous phase – microorganism metabolizes their own protoplasm,
others lyse and add to food supply (food scarcity continues and
eventually microorganism dies)

Factors affecting rate of biomass production and food utilization

1) Temperature – rate constants increase with temperature with the range of
0 – 55°C with a corresponding increase in biomass production and food
utilization. Increases in reaction rates approximately follow the Van’t Hoff
– Arrhenius rule of doubling with every 10°C increase in temperature up to
a maximum temperature. Excessive heat denatures the enzymes and
can destroy the organism.

2) pH – enzyme systems have a fairly narrow range of tolerance.

Microorganisms that degrade wastewater organics function best near
neutral pH with a tolerance range from about pH 6 to pH 9.

3) Toxins, salt concentration and oxidants – toxicants poison the

microorganism, salt concentrations interfere with internal-external pressure
relationships and oxidants destroy enzyme and cell materials.

4) Nutrients deficiency in incoming wastewater

5) DO level – needs air to maintain growth

Two Types of Biological Growth/Culture used in Wastewater Treatment

1) Suspended Cultures/Growth – will include activated sludge, ponds and

lagoons

• The microorganisms are suspended in the wastewater either as single cells

or as clusters of cells called flocs. They are thus surrounded by the
wastewater which contains their food and other essential elements and
nutrients necessary for their growth and reproduction. Three types are
completely mixed without sludge recycle, completely mixed with sludge
recycle, and plug flow with sludge recycle.

1.1) Activated sludge process – the process derives its name from the fact
that settled sludge containing live or active microorganisms is returned to

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the reactor to increase the available biomass and speed up in the

reactions. The activated-sludge process is thus a suspended – culture
process with sludge return and may be either a completely mixed or a
plug-flow process. The process is aerobic with oxygen being supplied by
dissolution from entrained air.

Common Variations of Activated Sludge Process

a) Step Aeration – influent addition at intermediate points provides more

uniform BOD removal throughout the reactor tank.

b) Tapered Aeration – air is added in proportion to BOD

c) Contact Stabilization – biomass adsorbs organics in contact basin

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d) Pure – oxygen activated sludge – oxygen added under pressure keeps

dissolved oxygen level high

e) Oxidation ditch

f) High rate – short detention time, high food to microorganism ratio in aerator
to maintain culture in log – growth phase

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g) Extended Aeration – long detention time, low F/M ratio in aerator to maintain
culture in endogenous phase

Design Parameters/ Operational Parameters in Activated Sludge Process

1) F/M (food to microorganism ratio) – measures organic loading

Extended Aeration – When this ratio is low (little food for a lot of
microorganism), usually the aeration period is long (retention time is long)
and the microorganisms make maximum use of the food available resulting
to a high degree of treatment. Little biomass is produced hence, little or no
waste activated sludge to dispose.

High Rate – when F/M ratio is high (more food for few microorganism),
aeration period is very short (smaller tank requirement) but treatment
efficiency is lower.

2) MLSS (mixed liquor suspended solids) – represents the suspended solids in

the reactor. It is useful in the determination of F/M since sometimes
microorganisms are expressed in terms of suspended solids.

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3) MCRT/SRT (mean cell residence time/solids retention time or sludge age) –

represents the average time in which the microorganisms stay in the
reactor or the average time in which the solids stay in the reactor.

4) HRT (hydraulic retention time) – the average time in which the liquid
remain in the system.

5) DO (dissolved oxygen) – concentration of DO is very important in aerobic

processes because m.o. need oxygen for their metabolism. Optimum
value is 1.5 – 2.5 mg/L. For DO level of 4 (max), the aeration is said to be
high, for DO level of 5 and 6, it is said to be over aerated. Over aeration
will provoke undesirable m.o. and may result to filamentous bulking

6) SVI (sludge volume index) – describes the settleability of activated sludge.

* Filamentous Bulking – becomes a problem in secondary clarifiers. When the

solids in the secondary clarifier are very difficult to settle, the sludge is said to
be bulking sludge. This condition is characterized by a biomass which is
comprised of almost totally filamentous m.o. The success or failure of an
activated sludge system often depends on the performance of the final
clarifier.

Causes of Poor Settling due to Filamentous Bulking

Operational Causes
1) Wrong DO (low)
2) Insufficient nutrients
3) Widely varying organic waste loading
4) Wrong F/M ratios (low)
5) Insufficient soluble BOD gradient
Wastewater characteristics
1) Fluctuations in flow and strength
2) Fluctuations in pH, temperature, staleness
3) Deficiencies in nutrients in incoming ww
4) High concentrations of heavy metals
Operating causes of Non – filamentous Organisms
1) Over aeration
2) Improper organic loading
3) Presence of toxic substances
Cures
1) Change or adjust F/M ratio

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2) Change or adjust DO level in the aeration tank

3) Dosing with H2O2 to kill the filamentous m.o.
4) Pre – treat ww to remove toxins, check nutrients and maintain
temperature and pH
5) Check ww characteristics and process loading

Aeration Techniques:
1) Use of Air Diffusers – used in plug flow. Compressed air is injected.

Fine bubble diffusers – more efficient because of larger surface

area per volume of air. (bubble diameter of 2 to 2.5 mm) larger energy
requirement for greater compression (lesser headloss). Also, compressed
air must be filtered before diffusion to remove particulates that would
cause clogging.

Coarse bubble diffusers – (bubble diameter is up to 25 mm), requires

less maintenance and lower head loss, but poorer oxygen transfer.

1.1) Mechanical Aerators

– used in completely mixed reactors. Mechanical mixers are used to
stir the contents violently enough to entrain and distribute air
through the liquid. This produce turbulence at the air-liquid interface
and this turbulence entrains air into the liquid. It may consist of high-
speed impellers that add large quantities of air to relatively small
quantities of water. Mixing is by velocity gradient. Brush types
aerators are used to provide both aeration and momentum to
wastewater in the oxidation ditch.
1.2) Ponds and Lagoons (Ponds, stabilization pond, oxidation pond or
sewage lagoon)
– a shallow earthen basin in which wastewater is retained long
enough for natural purification processes to provide the necessary
degree of treatment. At least part of the system must be aerobic to
produce an acceptable effluent. Although some oxygen is
provided by diffusion from air, the bulk oxygen in ponds is provided
by photosynthesis. Lagoons are distinguished from ponds in that
oxygen for lagoons is provided by artificial aeration.
– Shallow ponds in which dissolved oxygen is present at all depths are
called aerobic ponds. Most frequently used as additional treatment
processes, aerobic ponds are often referred to as polishing or

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tertiary ponds. Deep ponds in which oxygen s absent except for a

relatively thin surface layer are called anaerobic ponds. Anaerobic
ponds can be used for partial treatment of a strong organic
wastewater but must be followed by some aerobic treatment to
produce acceptable products. Under favorable conditions,
facultative ponds, in which both aerobic and anaerobic zones exist
may be used as the total treatment system for municipal
wastewater. Facultative ponds and lagoons are assumed to be
completely mixed reactors without biomass recycle.

2) Attached Growth

Organisms present: heterotrophic (mostly) and facultative bacteria

(predominant), fungi and protozoa (abundant), algae (present where
there is light), animals such as rotifers, sludge worms, insect larvae, snails
etc.

Biomass growth: the organisms attach themselves to the medium and

grow into dense films of a viscous, jelly like nature. Wastewater passes over
this film in thin sheets with dissolved organics passing into the biofilm due
to the concentration gradients within the film. The suspended solids and
colloids are retained on the sticky surfaces where they decompose into
soluble products.

2.1) Trickling Filter - classical attached biomass system (round)

- uses randomly packed solid medium usually fist size rocks. The medium is
stationary and the wastewater is passed over the biofilm in intermittent
doses. Primary clarifier is needed in this reactor to avoid clogging of
media. To increase treatment efficiency, multistage, high rate filters are
designed to meet secondary effluent standards.

Packings: when packed with stones, height is limited to 3 m; when packed

with plastics, height is up to 6 – 8 m.

Features: simple, low operating costs

Disadvantage: odor problem, vector problem (flies, mosquitoes, moths

etc), pretreatment of ww is required (primary sedimentation), not suitable
for degradation of suspended organic matter, clogging problem may
occur (if this occurs, there is a need to remove all media to remove clogs)

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2.2) Biotowers –(rectangular, square and taller) uses modular synthetic

media of high porosity and low weight and this enables a vertical
arrangement of medium several meters high. Basically, these are deep
trickling filters. The medium is stationary, and the wastewater is passed
over the biofilm in intermittent doses. Primary clarifiers maybe omitted but
there is a need to grind the solids in the ww to sufficiently small sizes prior
to application to avoid clogging of void spaces.

Packings: light weight flat PVC sheets in alternating patterns (vertical

stacking), height is 6 – 8m.

Advantages: porosity and nature of packing allow greater loading rates

and eliminate clogging problems. Increased ventilation minimizes odor
problems under most operating conditions, compact nature of the
reactor allows for economical housing for operation in severe climates.

Disadvantages: relatively high pumping cost required by large recycle

and head loss through deep bed.

2.3) Rotating Biological Contactors (RBC) – uses rotating disks partially

submerged in the ww. The medium moves the biofilm alternately through
water and air thus also maintains aerobic condition. Primary clarifiers
maybe omitted in this process.

The medium consists of plastic sheets ranging from 2 – 4 in diameter. One

module consists of each shaft full of disk along with its tank and rotating
device. Several modules may be arranged in parallel and or in series to
meet the flow and treatment requirements. The disks are submerged in
the ww to about 40% of their diameter and are rotated ( rotational speed
ranges from 1-2 rpm) by power supplied to the shaft.

Disadvantages: lack of documented operating experience, high capital

cost, and sensitivity to temperature. Covers must be provided to protect
media from damage by elements and from excessive algal growth.

D. TERTIARY TREATMENT

1) Chlorination and dechlorination – disinfection to kill pathogens and

removal of excess chlorine. If secondary treatment is sufficient in treating
the ww, chlorination becomes its tertiary treatment.
2) Filtration – to remove residual suspended solids (through rapid sand filters)
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3) Oxidation ponds – to polish BOD before discharge to water courses

4) Use of activated carbon to reduce BOD
5) Nutrients removal

A. Nitrogen removal
• In the Philippines, where almost all of the lakes, rivers and estuaries are
undergoing various stages of eutrophication, the Philippine Effluent
Standards (DAO 35) does not have nitrogen as a regulated parameter.
Unfortunately, industrial discharges contribute significantly to the nutrient
load of a receiving body water. Equally disturbing are the domestic
discharges from the household who either have poorly designed septic
tank or do not have a tank at all, making the heavily clogged canals the
carrier of their sewage waste.

• Sources of Nitrogen
Natural sources or transport mechanisms of nitrogen substances include
atmospheric precipitation, dust fall, non – urban and non – agricultural run
– off and biological fixation. Nitrogen measured in precipitation is most
often a result of both soluble and particulate nitrogen forms scrubbed
from the atmosphere. Natural components would include nitrogen oxides
fixed by lightning and emitted from volcanic eruptions, wind – blown dust
originating from natural areas and ammonia released from decaying
animal and plant matter.
Sources of nitrogen related to human activity include untreated and
treated domestic sewage and industrial wastes, leachates, atmospheric
deposition and surface run – off.
1) Domestic waste – untreated sewage flowing from municipal collection
systems typically contains 20 – 85 mg/L of total Nitrogen.
2) Industrial wastewater – industries contributing to nitrogen discharges
include fertilizer manufacturing, paper and pulp industries, mining and
metal ore processing, and food processing industries.
3) Landfill leachates – a survey of leachate characterization studies for many
landfills shows ammonia values 0 – 1160 mg/L and nitrite and nitrate
nitrogen of 0.2 – 10.3 mg/L.
4) Atmospheric deposition – inorganic or particulate nitrogen and
mineralized nitrogen that settles by gravity.
5) Surface run – off – fertilizers from farmlands, leakages from landfills,
leakages from failing sanitary sewers and septic systems etc.
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Effects of Nitrogen Discharges

• Excessive accumulation of various forms of nitrogen in surface and

groundwater can lead to adverse ecological and human health effects.
One of the major effects has been the direct and indirect depletion of
dissolved oxygen in receiving waters. In-stream nitrification directly
consumes oxygen while bio-stimulation of aquatic plant growth lowers
oxygen indirectly when plant dies and undergoes bacterial
decomposition. Other impacts can be of major importance in particular
situations. These include ammonia toxicity to aquatic life, adverse public
health effects and a reduction in the suitability of water for re-use.
• A major problem in the field of water pollution is eutrophication which is
defined as excessive plant growth and algal blooms resulting from over -
fertilization of rivers, lakes and estuaries. Eutrophication can result in a
deterioration in the appearance of previously clear waters, odor problems
from decomposing plant growth and a lower DO level, which can
adversely affect the respiration of fish, benthic aquatic animals and
attached bottom plant growth.

TWO STEPS IN NITROGEN REMOVAL FROM TREATED WASTEWATER

a) Nitrification
• This is the biological oxidation of ammonium. This is done in two steps, first
from the nitrite form then to the nitrate form. Two specific
chemoautotrophic bacterial genera are involved, using inorganic carbon
as their source for cellular carbon.
Nitrosomonas Nitrobacter
NH4 + + O2  NO2- + O2  NO3-
Ammonium Nitrite Nitrate
b) Denitrification
• This is the biological reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas. This can proceed
through several steps in the biochemical pathway, with the ultimate
production of nitrogen gas. A fairly broad range of heterotrophic bacteria
are involved in the process, requiring an organic carbon source for
energy.
NO3- + organic carbon  NO2- + organic carbon  N2 + CO2 + H2O
• It is important to note that if both oxygen and nitrate are present, the
bacteria will typically prefer the consumption of oxygen in the oxidation of
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the organic matter because it yields more energy. Thus for denitrification
to proceed, anoxic condition ( without oxygen) must exist, although this is
not strictly the case for all bacteria.
• Anaerobic - Condition in which free and dissolved oxygen is unavailable.
Requiring or not destroyed by the absence of air or free oxygen.
• Anoxic - condition in which oxygen is available in the combined form only;
there is no free oxygen. Anoxic sections in an activated sludge plant may
be used for denitrification.

B) Phosphorus Removal
• Phosphorus is an ubiquitous constituent of municipal wastewater,
averaging around 10 mg/L in most cases.
• Forms: originally bound phosphorus (body and food wastes, released as
orthophosphates when decomposed), polyphosphates (from synthetic
detergents), and orthophosphates (hydrolyzed polyphosphates).

TWO STEPS IN PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL FROM TREATED WASTEWATER

a) Chemical Method of P – Removal (Chemical Precipitation)

a.1) Metal addition
- Alum or Al2(SO4)3
- Iron or FeCl3
b.1) Lime addition
- Ca(OH)2
• The addition of lime also provides pH adjustment necessary for the
process. The reaction requires a pH at least 9.0 for significant phosphorus
removal.
Note: Phosphorus removal can be incorporated into primary or secondary
treatment or separate as a tertiary process. Selection of the point
depends on efficiency requirements, ww characteristics and the type of
secondary treatment employed. Common point of addition/ application
of chemicals is in the final clarifier (2° clarifier)
b) Biological P – Removal
• Phosphorus is utilized by the microorganisms for cell maintenance,
synthesis, and energy transport. The m.o. also store phosphorus for
subsequent use.
• Biological methods of phosphorus removal rely on the fact that
microorganisms when stressed, release phosphorus. The microorganisms

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can be stressed by cutting off their supply of oxygen (anoxic condition)

and fooling them into thinking that all is lost and they will surely die! When
this anoxic condition is followed by a sudden reintroduction of oxygen,
the cells will store phosphorus in their cellular material exceeding their
normal need. The Phosphorus can therefore be removed by settling in a
clarifier.
• Biological phosphorus removal is accomplished by sequencing and
producing the appropriate environmental conditions in the reactors.
Phosphorus is released from cells under anoxic/anaerobic conditions and
luxury uptake of phosphorus by the m.o. takes place under aerobic/oxic
conditions.
• Acinetobacter are one of the primary organisms responsible for removal
of phosphorus. These organisms utilize the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the
influent wastewater under anaerobic conditions by releasing stored
phosphorus.

Combined Biological Nutrients Removal (BNR) – Removal of Nitrogen and

Phosphorus

1.) A2/O Process

2) 5 – Stage Bardenpho Process

3) UCT (University of Cape Town) Process

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4) VIP (Virginia Initiative Plant)

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