CE421/521 Environmental Biotechnology Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycles Lecture Tim Ellis

where μ max = maximum specific growth rate, h-1 K S = half saturation coefficient for ammonia, mg/L as NH 4 -N K O = half saturation coefficient, mg/L as O2 Yield = mg biomass formed/mg ammonia utilized Nitrification Kinetics

Nitrifiers are sensitive to  d____________ o_____________  t______________  p___  i_____________________ where I = concentration of inhibitor, mg/L K I = inhibition coeficient, mg/L

Effects of Temperature  derivation of the  A____________ equation  where k 1,2 = reaction rate coefficient at temperature T 1,2  θ = t___________ c__________

Typical Theta Values ln k Temp (deg C or K) ln θ

Calculating Theta  given the following measured data, calculate the theta value

DENITRIFICATION 1.A_____________________ nitrate reduction: NO3- ➔ NH4+ nitrate is incorporated into cell material and reduced inside the cell 2.D___________________ nitrate reduction (denitrification) –NO3- serves as the t____________ e_______________ a_________________ (TEA) in an anoxic (anaerobic) environment NO 3 - ➔ NO 2 - ➔ NO ➔ N 2 O ➔ N 2 nitrate reductase nitrite r. nitric oxide r. nitrous oxide r. summarized as: NO 3 - ➔ NO 2 - ➔ N 2

DENITRIFICATION  requires o______________ m________________(example: methanol)  kinetics for denitrification similar to those for heterotrophic aerobic growth

DENITRIFICATION  calculate COD of methanol:  calculate alkalinity: 6NO CH 3 OH ➔ 3N CO H 2 O + 6 OH -

Nitrogen Removal in Wastewater Treatment Plants  Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) = o___________ n___________ + a______________  (measured by digesting sample with sulfuric acid to convert all nitrogen to ammonia)  TKN ~ 35 mg/L in influent  p____________ t____________ removes approximately 15%  additional removal with biomass w______________

Methods for Nitrogen Removal 1. Biological –n_______________ –d________________ –ANAMMOX: ammonium is the electron donor, nitrite is the TEA NH NO 2 - ➔ N H 2 O NH NO 2 - ➔ N H 2 O Suitable for high ammonia loads (typically greater than 400 mg/L) and low organic carbon 2. Chemical/Physical 1.air s_______________ 2.breakpoint c__________________ 3.ion e_____________________ 4.reverse o___________________

Concerns for nitrogen discharge: 1.T________________ 2.D________________ of DO 3.E__________________________ 4.Nitrate in d________________ water – causes methemoglobinemia (blue baby) oxidizes hemoglobin to methemoglobin

System Configurations  Completely mixed activated sludge (CMAS)  Conventional activated sludge (CAS)  Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR)  Extended aeration, oxidation ditch, others

Activated Sludge Wastewater Treatment Plant Tertiary Filtration (Optional) Bar Rack/ Screens Influent Force Main Screenings Grit Tank Primary Settling Tank Primary Sludge Activated Sludge Aeration Basin Air or Oxygen Diffusers Secondary Settling Tank Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Waste Activated Sludge (WAS) Cl 2 Chlorine Contact Basin (optional) to receiving stream wastewater flow residuals flow

Completely Mixed Activated Sludge (CMAS) air or oxygen RAS WAS aeration basin clarifier to tertiary treatment or surface discharge

Completely Mixed Activated Sludge (CMAS)

Conventional (plug flow) Activated Sludge (CAS) plan view Primary effl. to secondary clarifier RAS

Conventional Activated Sludge

Step Feed Activated Sludge Feed RAS Feed

CMAS with Selector Low F/M High F/M Selector CMAS with Selector

Contact Stabilization Activated Sludge air or oxygen RAS WAS aeration basin clarifier air or oxygen contact tank

Sequencing Batch Reactor WASTEWATER FILLREACTSETTLEDECANT TREATED EFFLUENT AIR Sludge wastage at end of decant cycle

Phosphorus  limiting n___________________ in algae (at approximately 1/5 the nitrogen requirement)  15% of population in US discharges to l_________________  wastewater discharge contains approximately mg/L as P  o__________________  i______________: orthophosphate

Removal of Phosphorus  Chemical precipitation: –traditional p____________________ reactions Al +3 + PO 4 -3 ➔ AlPO 4 Fe +3 + PO 4 -3 ➔ FePO 4 –as s_______________ (magnesium ammonium phosphate, MAP) Mg +2 + NH PO 4 -3 ➔ MgNH 4 PO 4

Struvite as a problem  Scale build-up chokes pipelines, clogs aerators, reduces heat exchange capacity  Canned king crab industry  Kidney stones

Struvite as a Fertilizer  Nonburning and long lasting source of nitrogen and phosphorus  Found in natural fertilizers such as guano  Heavy applications have not burned crops or depressed seed germination (Rothbaum, 1976)  Used for high-value crops For ISU study on removing ammonia from hog waste see:

Full Scale ASBR  2300 head operation in central Iowa, USA  methane recovery for energy generation  site for full-scale study for struvite precipitation

Biological P Removal  Discovered in plug flow A.S. systems  Requires anaerobic (low DO and NO 3 - ) zone and aerobic zone  Biological “battery”  Grow phosphate accumulating organisms (PAO) with 7% P content  Need to remove TSS

Key Reactions in Anaerobic Environment  Uptake of acetic acid  Storage polymer (PHB) is formed  Polyphosphate granule is consumed  Phosphate is released

Key Reactions in Aerobic Environment  Energy (ATP) is regenerated as bacteria consume BOD  Phosphorus is taken into the cell and stored as poly-P granule  When BOD is depleted, PAO continue to grow on stored reserves (PHB) and continue to store poly-P

Anaerobic Zone (initial) H 3 CCOOH H 3 CCOO - + H + H+H+ ATP Polyphosphate Granule PHB polymer PiPi ATP PiPi ADP+P i

Anaerobic Zone (later) H 3 CCOOH H 3 CCOO - + H + H+H+ ATP Polyphosphate Granule PHB polymer PiPi ATP ADP ATP PiPi ADP+P i

Aerobic Zone (initial) substrate H+H+ ADP+P i ATP Polyphosphate Granule PHB polymer PiPi ATP PiPi CO 2 + NADH 2H + + 1/2O 2 H2OH2O ADP+P i NAD H+H+

Aerobic Zone (later) H+H+ ADP+P i ATP Polyphosphate Granule PHB polymer PiPi ATP PiPi CO 2 + NADH 2H + + 1/2O 2 H2OH2O ADP+P i NAD H+H+

Bio-P Operational Considerations  Need adequate supply of acetic acid  Nitrate recycled in RAS will compete for acetic acid  May need a trim dose of coagulant to meet permit  Subsequent sludge treatment may return soluble phosphorus to A.S.

A/O EBPR Aeration Basin Secondary Clarifier Anaerobic Selector air return activated sludge (RAS) waste activated sludge (WAS) Phosphate Storage “Battery” Alum, Fe +3 (optional)

Combined N and P Removal  Competition between bio-P and denitrification  BOD becomes valuable resource –required for both N and P removal  Operation depends on treatment goals  One reaction will limit –difficult to eliminate all BOD, N, and P  Commercial models (BioWin, ASIM, etc.) useful to predict performance

Combined Biological Phosphorus & Nitrogen Removal Aeration Basin (nitrification zone) Secondary Settling Tank Anaerobic Selector air return activated sludge (RAS) waste activated sludge (WAS) nitrate rich recirculation Anoxic Selector A2OA2O

Combined EBPR & Nitrogen Removal Primary Aeration Basin Secondary Settling Tank Anaerobic Selector air return activated sludge (RAS) waste activated sludge (WAS) nitrate rich recirculation Anoxic Selector 5-Stage Bardenpho Anoxic Tank Secon- dary Aeration Basin air

Combined Biological Phosphorus & Nitrogen Removal Aeration Basin Secondary Settling Tank Anaerobic Selector return activated sludge (RAS) waste activated sludge (WAS) nitrate rich recirculation Second Anoxic Tank Modified UCT air First Anoxic Tank nitrate free recirculation

Combined Biological Phosphorus & Nitrogen Removal Aeration Basin (nitrification zone) Secondary Settling Tank Anaerobic Selector air return activated sludge (RAS) waste activated sludge (WAS) nitrate rich recirculation Anoxic Selector Virginia Initiative Plant (VIP) nitrate free recirculation

Sulfur  inorganic: SO 4 -2 S° H 2 S  organic: R — O — SO 3 -2 four key reactions: 1. H 2 S o__________________ — can occur aerobically or anaerobically to elemental sulfur (S°) –a___________________ : Thiobaccilus thioparus oxidizes S-2 to S°  S -2 + ½ O 2 + 2H + ➔ S° + H 2 O –a_______________________: — phototrophs use H2S as electron donor  filamentous sulfur bacteria oxidize H 2 S to S° in sulfur granules: Beggiatoa, Thiothrix

Sulfur 2.Oxidation of E_______________ Sulfur (Thiobacillus thiooxidans at low pH) 2S° + 3 O H 2 O ➔ 2 H 2 SO 4 2S° + 3 O H 2 O ➔ 2 H 2 SO 4 3.A_______________________ sulfate reduction: proteolytic bacteria breakdown organic matter containing sulfur (e.g. amino acids: methionine, cysteine, cystine) 4. D_______________________ sulfate reduction: under anaerobic conditions — s_____________ r________________ b_________________ (SR SO Organics ➔ S -2 + H 2 O + CO 2 S H + ➔ H 2 S  Desulvibrio and others  Sulfate is used as a TEA & l_____ m____________ w___________ organics serve as the electron donors  Low cell y_______________  P___________________ of SRB depends on COD:S ratio, particularly readily degradable (e.g., VFA) COD  SRB compete with m_____________________ for substrate: high COD:S favors methanogens, low COD:S favors SRB

Crown Sewer Corrosion