Effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on aerobic granulation of algal–bacterial symbiosis system and nutrients removal from synthetic wastewater

Abstract

The influence of TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) (10–50mg/L) on aerobic granulation of algal–bacterial symbiosis system was investigated by using two identical sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). Although little adverse effect was observed on their nitritation efficiency (98–100% in both reactors), algal–bacterial granules in the control SBR (Rc) gradually lost stability mainly brought about by algae growth. TiO2-NPs addition to RT was found to enhance the granulation process achieving stable and compact algal–bacterial granules with remarkably improved nitratation thus little nitrite accumulation in RT when influent TiO2-NPs⩾30mg/L. Despite almost similar organics and phosphorus removals obtained in both reactors, the stably high nitratation efficiency in addition to much stable granular structure in RT suggests that TiO2-NPs addition might be a promising remedy for the long-term operation of algal–bacterial granular system, most probably attributable to the stimulated excretion of extracellular polymeric substances and less filamentous TM7.