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2.3

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT Biological treatment as indicated earlier, the biological wastes are rich in decomposable organic matter and can be treated by biological processes involving microbial decomposition of organic matter, aerobically or anaerobically. The main difference between aerobic and anaerobic processes is in the presence or absence of oxygen. The common methods of biological wastewater treatment are : a) aerobic processes such as trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, activated sludge process, oxidation ponds and lagoons, oxidation ditches, b) anaerobic processes such as anaerobic digestion, and c) anoxic processes such as denitrification . The major biological wastewater treatment processes are shown in the next Table 5 ./5/

2.3.1

AEROBIC PROCESSES The basic principle of aerobic processes is the usage of aerobic microorganisms which need oxygen for their metabolism in the process of decomposition of organic matter from the wastewater. While the basic principles remain the same in all aerobic processes, the techniques used in their application may vary widely, but may be broadly classified as either attached (film) growth or suspended growth processes .

A. ATTACHED GROWTH PROCESSES Attached growth processes utilize a solid medium upon which bacterial solids are accumulated in order to maintain a high population. Surface growth processes include intermittent sand filters, trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, and a variety of similar devices.

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Table 5

Major biological treatment Wastewater Treatment

processes

used

for

Type

Common name

Use

AEROBIC PROCESSES Suspended growth ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS - Conventional ( Plug flow ) - Step aeration, Modified aeration - Contact Stabilization - Extended Aeration, Oxidation Ditch

Carbonaceous BOD + Nitrification Carbonaceous BOD

AERATED LAGOONS AEROBIC DIGESTION HIGH RATE ALGAL PONDS Attached growth TRICKLING FILTERS - Low rate - High rate ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTORS

Carbonaceous BOD

Carbonaceous BOD

ANAEROBIC PROCESSES Suspended growth ANAEROBIC DIGESTION - Standard rate - High rate Single ANAEROBIC CONTACT PROC. ANAEROBIC FILTER PROCESS ANAEROBIC LAGOONS

Stabilization Carbonaceous BOD

Attached growth

ANOXIC PROCESSES

- Suspended growth - Fixed film

Denitrification

Source : NPC Report, /5/ 2.3.1.1 Trickling filters

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This equipment consists of a bed of highly permeable media to which micro organisms are attached and through which wastewater is percolated. The surface of the media that comes into contact with wastewater develops a Zoogleal film rich in microorganisms. The microorganisms in this film degrade the organic material present in the wastewater. As the microorganisms grow, the slime layer increases. The adsorbed organic matter is metabolised, before it can reach the microorganisms near the media face. As a result of having no external organic source available for cell carbon, the microorganisms near the media face enter into an endogenous phase of growth and lose their ability to slime layer stalks to grow. This phenomenon of losing the slime layer is called sloughing and primarily a function of the organic and hydraulic loading on the filter. The trickling filter should also have an underdrain arrangement for collecting the filtered effluent and a proper ventilation system to maintain aerobic conditions. A secondary settling tank should invariably follow the filter for removal of the sloughed off solids. The principal flow scheme for an trickling filter treatment is shown in the next Figure 24 ./11/ A typical trickling filter is shown in the Figure 25 ./12/

2.3.1.2

Rotating biological contactors A rotating biological contactor consists of a series of closely spaced circular disks of polystyrene or PVC, or other materials. The disks are partially submerged in wastewater and rotated slowly through it. In operation, biological growths become attached to the surfaces of the disks and form a slime layer over the entire wetted surface area of the disks. The rotation of the disks alternately contacts the biomass with the organic material in the wastewater and then with the atmosphere for adsorption of oxygen. A principal scheme of an rotating biological disc plant is shown in the next Figure 26 ./1/ B. Suspended growth

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Suspended growth processes maintain an adequate biological mass in suspension within the reactor by employing either natural or mechanical mixing. In most processes the required volume is reduced by returning bacteria from the secondary clarifier in order to maintain a high solids concentration. Suspended growth processes include activated sludge and its various modifications, oxidation ponds, and sludge digestion systems.

2.3.1.3 Activated sludge process It is a treatment process in which biologically active mass, called activated sludge is continuously mixed with the sewage flow in an aeration basin in the presence of abundant oxygen. The liquid in the aeration basin is called mixed liquor. The oxygen is supplied to the mixed liquor either by diffused compressed air or by mechanical agitation. The activated sludge is subsequently separated from the mixed liquor by sedimentation process in a clarifier and a part of this sludge is re-circulated to the aeration basin. The rest of the sludge, which is the excess production of biological cell material, is disposed-off. A principal scheme of an activated sludge process is given in the next Figure 27 ./5/ Many modifications in basin configuration and aeration techniques have been made in past. The more important types of activated sludge process are described below : - the conventional process (known also as the plug flow type ) consists of a aeration basin, a clarifier and a solid-return line from the clarifier bottom. The return solids are mixed with the incoming wastes and pass through the reactor in a plug flow fashion. Air is provided uniformly along the aeration basin. Conventional activated sludge process is shown in the next Figure 28 ./13/ - tapered aeration processes attempt to match the oxygen supply to demand by introducing more air at the head end. The process is otherwise the same as described for conventional aeration process. The main advantage of tapered aeration is the optimum use of air. - step aeration processes distribute the incoming flow to a number

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of points along the aeration basin, thus avoiding the locally high oxygen demand encountered in conventional and tapered aeration process. A principal scheme for an step aeration is shown in the next Figure 29 ./13/ - contact stabilization or biosorption takes advantage of the observed adsorptive properties of activated sludge. The sewage is mixed and aerated with activated sludge for a short period ( - 1 hours) and the mixed liquor then passes into a clarifier, where final effluent and sludge are separated by gravity. The settled sludge in the clarifier is re-aerated in a separate sludge re-aeration ( stabilization ) tank for a period of some 3 6 hours. After the aerated sludge is fed into contact tank for intimate mixing with the inflow. This process is suitable for high organic loadings. A principal scheme for an contact stabilization is shown in the next Figure 30 ./13/ - completely mixed or a high rate aeration processes disperse the incoming waste and return sludge uniformly throughout the aeration basin. The main objective of high rate aeration is to reduce the cost of construction. A principal scheme of an completely mixed high rate aeration is shown in the next Figure 31 ./13/ - extended aeration is a completely mixed process operated at a long hydraulic retention time and a high sludge age. The process is limited in application to small plants where its inefficiency is outweighed by its stability and simplicity of operation. The advantage of this process is that usually there is no provision for excess activated sludge necessary. A principal scheme of an extended aeration process is shown in the next Figure 32 ./12/ - short-term aeration or high-rate activated sludge is a pretreatment process where retention times and sludge age are low, which leads to a poor effluent and relatively high solids production. A possible application of this process is as the first stage of a two-stage nitrification process. - High purity oxygen activated sludge systems have been

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developed in an attempt to permit easier matching of oxygen supply to oxygen demand and higher-rate processes through maintenance of higher concentrations of biological solids. / 7 / A principal scheme for an oxygen activated sludge system is shown in the next Figure 33 ./1/

2.3.1.4 Waste Stabilization Ponds Waste stabilization ponds are low cost wastewater treatment units which usually depend on natural processes. These systems are sometimes also called oxidation ponds or lagoons. In these ponds the organic matter from the wastewater is degraded by natural oxidation processes by the action of microorganisms, both algae and bacteria. If these processes take place in a stream water then it will be known as a self-purification process. Waste stabilization ponds or lagoons are classified according to the biological process taking place as aerobic, anaerobic, facultative and maturation ponds . /3/ The general reactions which occur in aerobic and facultative ponds are illustrated schematically in the next Figure 34 ./14/ Aerobic ponds are shallow ponds, less than 1 m in depth, where dissolved oxygen is maintained throughout the entire depth, mainly by the action of photosynthesis. Facultative ponds are ponds between 1 to 2.5 m depth, which have an anaerobic lower zone, a facultative middle zone, and an aerobic upper zone maintained by photosynthesis and surface reaeration. A schematic presentation ( diagram ) of a facultative pond operation is given in the next Figure 35 ./14/ Anaerobic ponds are deep ponds that receive high organic loadings such that anaerobic conditions prevail throughout the entire pond depth. Maturation or tertiary ponds are ponds used for polishing effluents from other biological processes. Dissolved oxygen is furnished through photosynthesis and surface reaeration. This type of pond is also known as a polishing pond.

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Aerated lagoons are these ponds which are oxygenated through the additional action of surface or diffused air aeration. A typical aeration system for the aerated lagoons is a static tube aerator as shown in the next Figure 36./7/ Oxidation ditches are simple artificial ditches, dug in the ground for the purification of wastewater using a very simplified technique. The basic form of the plant is a ring shaped circuit or ditch. Oxygen as well as circulation is provided by mechanical rotors . In fact, oxidation ditch is a modified form of extended aeration of activated sludge process. Some typical oxidation ditches are shown in the Figure 37 ./12/

2.3.1.5. Natural systems Natural treatment systems are designed to take advantage of physical, chemical and biological processes which occur in the nature when water, soil, plants, microorganisms and the atmosphere interact. The natural treatment systems are : - the soil-based or land-treatment systems, (infiltration, irrigation, etc.), - the aquatic-based systems (constructed and natural wetlands and aquatic plant treatment systems. Aquatic plant systems are schematically presented in the Figure 38 ./11/

2.3.2

ANAEROBIC PROCESSES The anaerobic waste treatment is an effective method for the treatment of highly concentrated organic wastes. In the absence of oxygen, anaerobic bacteria convert organic material into gaseous end-products such as CO2 , CH4 and H2S. This biological process is called as anaerobic digestion and is one of the oldest processes used for the stabilization of sludges. Anaerobic digestion is a fermentation process which involves the decomposition of organic and inorganic matter in the absence of molecular oxygen. The process stabilizes the organic matter by converting it as completely as possible into methane and carbon-dioxide gas through the two stages:

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acid fermentation or liquefaction, methane fermentation or gasification.

In the first stage, so called liquefaction or acid fermentation, acid forming bacterial group consisting of acid-producing bacteria is responsible for converting complex organic compounds ( like fats, proteins, carbohydrates ) into more simple organic compounds ( like acetic, propionic and butyric acids ) which become a source of food for a second group, the methane-forming bacteria. In the second stage, so called gasification or methane fermentation, the organic acids will be converted into gases, mainly methane ( CH4 ) and carbon dioxide ( CO2 ). The stages of oxidation of organic matter of sludge is given in the next Figure 39 . /14/ Two types of digesters are at present in use, standard-rate and highrate. In the standard-rate digestion process the content of the digester are usually unheated and unmixed. Detention times for this process vary from 30 to 60 days. In a high-rate digestion process the contents of the digester are heated and completely mixed. The required detention time is 15 days or less. A combination of these two basic processes is known as the two-stage process digestion. Some types of anaerobic sludge digesters are shown in Figure 40. /14/

2.3.3

ANOXIC PROCESSES Under anoxic conditions, a group of facultative anaerobes called denitrifiers utilizes nitrites ( NO2-) and nitrates ( NO3-) as the terminal electron acceptor. The removal of nitrogen in the form of nitrate from the wastewater by conversion to nitrogen gas in the absence of oxygen is a biological process called anoxic denitrification.

Questions to the Chapter . : 1. 2. Name the biological wastewater treatments ! Describe briefly all above mentioned biological treatments!

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3.

The purification of sewage in oxidation ponds is carried out by : a)algae; b) bacteria; c) both ; d) non of these . What is zoogleal film ? In the trickling filter process : a) much skilled labour is required; b) operation cost is higher than in ASP unit; c) has low adaptability with varying load; d) power requirement is low as compare to ASP; Sketch a principal schematic of a trickling filter ! Distinguish between suspended- and attached- growth processes ! Describe short RBC systems ! Sketch a principal scheme of a RBC plant ! Describe short an ASP ! Sketch a principal scheme of an ASP ! Which types of ASP do you know ? Describe short a process of an extended aeration ! Distinguish between the diffused aeration and surface aeration ! Explain short the terms step aeration and tapered aeration ! When is usage of pure oxygen in ASP required ? What are stabilization ponds ? How are the stabilization ponds classified ? Sketch different types of stabilization ponds ! Sketch an oxidation ditch ! What is anaerobic digestion ? Distinguish between anaerobic and anoxic processes ! Explain the denitrification process !

4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.