Nonoxidative removal of organics in the activated sludge process
Journal article, 2016
The activated sludge process is commonly used to treat wastewater by aerobic oxidation of organic pollutants into carbon dioxide and water. However, several nonoxidative mechanisms can also contribute to removal of organics. Sorption onto activated sludge can remove a large fraction of the colloidal and particulate wastewater organics. Intracellular storage of, e.g., polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), triacylglycerides (TAG), or wax esters can convert wastewater organics into precursors for high-value products. Recently, several environmental, economic, and technological drivers have stimulated research on nonoxidative removal of organics for wastewater treatment. In this paper, we review these nonoxidative removal mechanisms as well as the existing and emerging process configurations that make use of them for wastewater treatment. Better utilization of nonoxidative processes in activated sludge could reduce the wasteful aerobic oxidation of organic compounds and lead to more resource-efficient wastewater treatment plants.
polyhydroxyalkanoate pha production
Adsorption
colloids
distribution
chemical oxygen-demand
high-rate activated sludge
waste-water treatment
in-situ transesterification
poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate
extracellular polymeric substances
biological phosphorus removal
mixed
microbial cultures
DLVO theory
triacylglyceride
particle-size
polyhydroxyalkanoate
contact-stabilization
different operational modes
Author
Oskar Modin
Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Frank Persson
Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Britt-Marie Wilen
Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Malte Hermansson
University of Gothenburg
Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology
1064-3389 (ISSN)
Vol. 46 7 635-672Biosorption in the Activated Sludge Process: Mechanisms, Kinetics, and Implications for Process Design
Formas, 2013-01-01 -- 2017-12-31.
Driving Forces
Sustainable development
Subject Categories
Water Engineering
Environmental Sciences
Areas of Advance
Energy
DOI
10.1080/10643389.2016.1149903