scholarly journals Agricultural fertiliser from brewery effluent – the recovery of nutrients from the biomass of activated sludge and high rate algal pond treatment systems

Author(s):  
Richard P. Taylor ◽  
Clifford L. W. Jones ◽  
Richard K. Laubscher

Abstract The disposal of waste biomass generated from biological wastewater treatment plants is a costly process and poses environmental threats to the receiving environment. This study aimed to determine the suitability of algae and waste activated sludge (WAS) produced from a brewery effluent treatment system as a fertiliser in agriculture. The change in soil characteristics and the growth of a crop fertilised with algae or WAS was compared with a conventional inorganic fertiliser. Swiss chard plants (Beta vulgaris) fertilised with anaerobically digested (AD) algae or WAS had a significantly higher mean biweekly yield (5.08 ± 0.73 kg/m2) when compared with the inorganic fertiliser control (3.45 ± 0.89 kg/m2; p < 0.0001). No difference was observed in the soil's physical fertility when algae or WAS were applied to the soil (p > 0.05). The nitrogen applied to the soil from algae and WAS biomass appeared to leach out of the soil less than the nitrogen supplied by inorganic fertilisers. The application of WAS or algae on soil increased the soil's sodium concentration and sodium absorption ratio from 774.80 ± 13.66 mg/kg to 952.17 ± 34.89 mg/kg and 2.91 ± 0.04 to 3.53 ± 0.13, respectively. Regulations on the application of algae or WAS on agricultural soils should be altered to consider the limit values for sodium.

1977 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-212
Author(s):  
B. Volesky ◽  
Q. Samak ◽  
P. Waller

Abstract Review of the available results appearing in the recent literature is presented focusing particularly upon the effects of metallic ions such as Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, V, Zn, Ni and Co. Some original data involving the effects of Na are presented and discussed. Development of parameters used in evaluating the influence of toxic or inhibitory species on the mixed microbial population of an activated sludge system is of crucial importance and different techniques employed such as BOD-COD-TOC-removal rates, Oxygen Uptake Rate, and others are discussed, showing relative inadequacy of currently applied assays. From the data available, certain trends can be discerned. There is a definite threshold concentration for each metallic ion, depending on the organic load of the feed. In the order of increasing toxicity to activated sludge systems reflected in lower BOD removals the following metals have been listed as inhibiting factors at concentrations starting from 1 ppm applied on a continuous basis: hexavalent chromium, cobalt, zinc, cadmium, trivalent chromium, copper and nickel. Metals in combination have not been reported to exhibit any significantly different effects as compared to those observed with individually introduced metallic ions. Tolerance of some activated sludge systems to shock loadings by various inorganic ions and metals is reviewed. The conclusions are of particular importance for estimating the performance of biox systems handling industrial effluents which are likely to contain toxic components of inorganic or metallic nature.


1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 131-138
Author(s):  
Ahmed Fadel

Many of Egypt's cities have existing treatment plants under operation that have been constructed before 1970. Almost all of these treatment plants now need rehabilitation and upgrading to extend their services for a longer period. One of these plants is the Beni Suef City Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Beni Suef WWTP was constructed in 1956. It has primary treatment followed by secondary treatment employing intermediate rate trickling filters. The BOD, COD, and SS concentration levels are relatively high. They are approximately 800, 1100, and 600 mg/litre, respectively. The Beni Suef city required the determination of the level of work needed for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the existing 200 l/s plant and to extend its capacity to 440 l/s at year 2000 A description of the existing units, their deficiencies and operation problems, and the required rehabilitation are presented and discussed in this paper. Major problems facing the upgrading were the lack of space for expansion and the shortage of funds. It was, therefore, necessary to study several alternative solutions and methods of treatment. The choice of alternatives was from one of the following schemes: a) changing the filter medium, its mode of operation and increasing the number of units, b) changing the trickling filter to high rate and combining it with the activated sludge process, for operation by one of several possible combinations such as: trickling filter-solids contact, roughing filter-activated sludge, and trickling filter-activated sludge process, c) dividing the flow into two parts, the first part to be treated using the existing system and the second part to be treated by activated sludge process, and d) expanding the existing system by increasing the numbers of the different process units. The selection of the alternative was based on technical, operational and economic evaluations. The different alternatives were compared on the basis of system costs, shock load handling, treatment plant operation and predicted effluent quality. The flow schemes for the alternatives are presented. The methodology of selecting the best alternative is discussed. From the study it was concluded that the first alternative is the most reliable from the point of view of costs, handling shock load, and operation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rurik Skogman ◽  
Reino Lammi

The requirements imposed on the Finnish forest products industry by the water authorities have focused on the reduction of BOD and suspended solids in the wastewaters. The industry has tried to comply with these requirements, first through internal measures such as process changes and closed systems. When these have not been sufficient, external treatment has been resorted to. The Wilh. Schauman Company in Jakobstad has chosen activated sludge with extended aeration from among the available methods for treating effluent. The plant has operated since the beginning of 1986 with extremely good results. In addition to the reduction of BOD and suspended solids, there has been a marked decrease of chlorinated phenols. Chlorinated substances with higher molecular weight are also removed during the process.


1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 31-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyshi Emori ◽  
Hiroki Nakamura ◽  
Tatsuo Sumino ◽  
Tadashi Takeshima ◽  
Katsuzo Motegi ◽  
...  

For the sewage treatment plants near rivers and closed water bodies in urbanized areas in Japan and European countries, there is a growing demand for introduction of advanced treatment processes for nitrogen and phosphorus from the viewpoints of water quality conservation and environmental protection. In order to remove nitrogen by the conventional biological treatment techniques, it is necessary to make a substantial expansion of the facility as compared with the conventional activated sludge process. In such urbanized districts, it is difficult to secure a site and much capital is required to expand the existing treatment plant. To solve these problems, a compact single sludge pre-denitrification process using immobilized nitrifiers was developed. Dosing the pellets, which are suitable for nitrifiers growth and physically durable, into the nitrification tank of single sludge pre-denitrification process made it possible to perform simultaneous removal of BOD and nitrogen in a retention time equal to that in the conventional activated sludge process even at the low water temperature of about 10 °C. The 3,000 m3/d full-scale conventional activated sludge plant was retrofitted and has been successfully operated.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-52
Author(s):  
Xiaocen Liu ◽  
Tim Van Winckel ◽  
Birthe V Kjellerup ◽  
Imre Tacaks ◽  
Belinda Sturm ◽  
...  

1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 211-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Brands ◽  
M. Liebeskind ◽  
M. Dohmann

This study shows a comparison of important parameters for dynamic simulation concerning the highrate and low-rate activated sludge tanks of several municipal wastewater treatment plants. The parameters for the dynamic simulation of the single-stage process are quite well known, but parameters for the high-ratellow-rate activated sludge process are still missi ng, although a considerable number of wastewater treatment plants are designed and operated that way. At present any attempt to simulate their operation is restricted to the second stage due to missing data concerning growth rate, decay rate, yield coefficient and others.


2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. MÄNTYLAHTI ◽  
P. LAAKSO

Increasing concentrations of arsenic and heavy metals in agricultural soils are becoming a growing problem in industrialized countries. These harmful elements represent the basis of a range of problems in the food chain, and are a potential hazard for animal and human health. It is therefore important to gauge their absolute and relative concentrations in soils that are used for crop production. In this study the arsenic and heavy metal concentrations in 274 mineral soil samples and 38 organogenic soil samples taken from South Savo province in 2000 were determined using the aqua regia extraction technique. The soil samples were collected from 23 farms.The elements analyzed were arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, nickel, lead and zinc. The median concentrations in the mineral soils were:As 2.90 mg kg –1, Cd 0.084 mg kg –1, Cr 17.0 mg kg –1, Cu 13.0 mg kg –1, Hg 0.060 mg kg –1, Ni 5.4 mg kg –1, Pb 7.7 mg kg –1, Zn 36.5 mg kg –1. The corresponding values in the organogenic soils were:As 2.80 mg kg –1, Cd 0.265 mg kg –1, Cr 15.0 mg kg –1, Cu 29.0 mg kg –1, Hg 0.200 mg kg –1, Ni 5.9 mg kg –1, Pb 11.0 mg kg –1, Zn 25.5 mg kg –1. The results indicated that cadmium and mercury concentrations in the mineral and organogenic soils differed. Some of the arsenic, cadmium and mercury concentrations exceeded the normative values but did not exceed limit values. Most of the agricultural fields in South Savo province contained only small amounts of arsenic and heavy metals and could be classified as “Clean Soil”. A draft for the target values of arsenic and heavy metal concentrations in “Clean Soil” is presented.;


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