A single-stage biological process for municipal sewage treatment in tourist areas

Abstract

This pilot scale study aims to test the effectiveness of an innovative compact biological system (SBBGR - Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactor) for treating municipal wastewater in tourist areas characterised by intense seasonal water demand and wastewater discharge. The results obtained after a long term operation of 463 days have shown that the proposed system is able to assure average removal efficiencies higher than 90% for COD (chemical oxygen demand), total suspended solids and TKN (total Kjeldahl nitrogen) independently of the influent concentration values and organic loading, which ranged from 0.2 to 5.1 kgCOD/m3biofilter.d Furthermore, the plant showed a high degree of operation flexibility and stability in response to the organic load variations occurring in tourist areas. In fact, no significant deterioration in the plant's effluent quality was observed even during a sudden several-fold increase in organic loading. High nitrogen removal efficiencies (80%, on average) were also achieved thanks to the establishment of simultaneous nitrification-denitrification process favoured by the plant's high biomass concentration and operating conditions. Finally, the system was characterized by an excess sludge production much lower (60 to 80% lower) than that of conventional biological systems operating without a primary clarifier. An acceptable level of stabilization of excess sludge was also obtained so that a further stabilization process was no longer required.


Tutti gli autori

  • Di Iaconi C.; De Sanctis M.; Lopez A.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Journal of environmental management


Anno di pubblicazione

2014

ISSN

1095-8630

ISBN

Non Disponibile


Numero di citazioni Wos

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Settori ERC

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