Effect of Hydraulic Retention Time on the Performance of a Compact Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor for Effluent Polishing of Treated Sewage

Jamal Ali Kawan,Arij Yusof,Sagor Kumar Pramanik,Fatihah Suja’,Hassimi Abu Hasan,Rakmi Abdul Rahman

doi:10.3390/w14010081

Abstract

Treated effluent from a wastewater treatment plant can be further reused as a water resource for a water supply treatment plant. In this case, the treated sewage gathered in the study of the Class V National Water Quality Standard (NWQS) of Malaysia would be treated for use as a water resource for a water treatment plant. In a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) with a 500-L working volume, organic pollutants, undesirable nutrients, and bacteria were removed without disinfectant. At 24-h hydraulic retention time (HRT), the maximum removal efficiency of 5-day biological oxygen demand, ammonia–nitrogen (NH3-N), and total phosphorus were 71%, 48%, and 12%, respectively. The biofilm thickness, which was captured using scanning electron microscopy, increased from 102.6 μm (24-h HRT) to 297.1 μm (2-h HRT). A metagenomic analysis using 16S rRNA showed an abundance of anaerobic bacteria, especially from the Proteobacteria phylum, which made up almost 53% of the total microbes. MBBR operated at 24-h HRT could improve effluent quality, as its characteristics fell into Class IIA of the NWQS of Malaysia, with the exception of the NH3-N content, which indicated that the effluent needed conventional treatment prior to being reused as potable water.

Highlights

Akakus Oil Operations Company, El Sharara Production, El-Tahadi Street (Off Airport Road), Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Research Centre for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Envirosource Sdn Bhd, No 13A, Jalan Jernang Jaya 1, Taman Jernang Jaya, Bandar Baru Bangi 43650, Malaysia; Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
The pH value for the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) effluent during subsequent hydraulic retention time (HRT) operations ranged between 6.8 and 8.1, which corresponded with the typical values of pH in the wastewater, 6.5 to 8.5 [28]
The monitoring undertaken at the MBBR polishing system indicated that it showed the highest removal efficiency of organic pollutants and nutrients during 24-h HRT, with

Summary

Introduction

Treated effluent from a wastewater treatment plant can be further reused as a water resource for a water supply treatment plant. In this case, the treated sewage gathered in the study of the Class. V National Water Quality Standard (NWQS) of Malaysia would be treated for use as a water resource for a water treatment plant. In a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) with a 500-L working volume, organic pollutants, undesirable nutrients, and bacteria were removed without disinfectant. MBBR operated at 24-h HRT could improve effluent quality, as its characteristics fell into Class IIA of the NWQS of Malaysia, with the exception of the NH3-N content, which indicated that the effluent needed conventional treatment prior to being reused as potable water. Opportunities for adopting technological innovations for water reuse are significant due to the fact that reclaimed water has economic value as a water supply resource [1]

Methods

Results

Conclusion