1. 8th IWA Specialist Group Conference on Waste Stabilization Ponds - Belo Horizonte/MG , April 2009
Trickling filters: Alternative for Ammonia Removal from Stabilization Pond System Effluent
Mônica Medeiros
Frederico de Almeida Lage Filho
Humberto Carlos Ruggeri
Roque Passos Piveli

2. Introduction
Hundreds of active Stabilization Ponds in Brazil However they don´t have nutrient removal capabilities and don´t meet discharge standards.
Atractive alternative is ponding system effluent application in agriculture: “fertirrigation”.
During wet weather periods effluent application into agricultural soils is troublesome  need for post-treatment of ponding system effluent.

3. Intro (continued)
One option for post-treatment of ponding system effluents is the TRICKLING BIOFILTER (TBF): an attached biomass growth reactor in which biological NITRIFICATION can take place.
TBF´s present small footprint
pH, temperature, BOD and ponding system effluent OD conditions are favorable to nitrification.
Resulting reactor volume quite possibly smaller than other post-treatment options, thus TBF option can be economically feasible.

4. Research Work Objective
Evaluate effects of TKN and BOD application rates as well as other operational conditions on nitrification in tricking biofilters receiving photosynthetic facultative pond effluent.
Bigger picture:
Experimental results  to subsidize assessment
of the TBF alternative for improvement of ponding system effluent quality.

5. Methodology
Ponding System at city of Lins, SP Estabilização de Lins/SP
At the Lins field Station – testing field for agricultural reuse of ponding system effluent

6. Methodology
TKN Volumetric Loading rates: 0,02 to 0,17 kg TKN/m3d
Surface Hydraulic Loading rates: 2 to 12 m3/m2d
Tested TBF media: crushed rock no.4 & Pall brand plastic rings

7. TKN Volumetric and Hydraulic Loading Rates into TBF´s
Results
TKN Volumetric and Hydraulic Loading Rates into TBF´s
Phase Phase Phase 3

8. Comparison of phases 1 through 3
CONTROL:
pH &
Temperature

9. Comparison of phases 1 through 3
OD (mg/L) &
Alkalinity
(mg CaCO3/L)

10. Comparison of phases 1 through 3
ORGANIC MATTER
BOD & COD (mg/L)

11. Comparison of phases 1 through 3
N species:
Ammonia
N (mg/L)
TKN (mg/L):

12. Comparison of phases 1 through 3
N species:
Nitrite
(mg/L)
Nitrate
(mg/L):

13. Conclusions Both Trickling Biofilter media (crushed rock no. 4 &
Pall plastic rings) achieved reduction of ammonia N concentrations from the facultative pond effluent;
Nitrification occurred in all three experimental phases, indicated by high concentrations of nitrite and nitrate;
Regarding nitrification along phases 1 thru´ 3:
Crushed rock TBF progress was faster and related ammonia N removal efficiency was higher than for the Pall ring TBF.