Abstract
A packed bed external loop airlift bioreactor (PBELAB) was proposed as an alternative treatment system for wastewater containing ammonia and nitrate compounds. The 60L PBELAB consisted of aeration and non-aeration zones, both of which were packed with plastic bioballs to enhance the surface area for the attachment of bacteria. The system was able to achieve complete removal of all nitrogen compounds with simultaneous nitrification and denitrification, i.e., ammonia was decomposed in the aeration zone and nitrate was biodegraded in the non-aeration zone. At normal operation, the nitrification rate obtained from the system was in the range of 0.14-0.87 gNH3-N/m2d and the denitrification rate was 0.04 gNO3-N/m2d. The factors found to have great influence on the system included dissolved oxygen concentration and biofilm thickness. In addition, PBELAB was proven to perform well under nitrate shock load condition.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Arbiv, R. and van Rijn, J., “Performance of a Treatment System for Inorganic Nitrogen Removal in Intensive Aquaculture Systems,”Aquacultural Engineering,14(2), 189 (1995).
Balderston, W. L. and Sieburth, J.M., “Nitrate Removal in Closed-system Aquaculture by Columnar Denitrification,”Applied Environmental Microbiology,32, 808 (1976).
Bovendeur, J., Zwage, A. B., Lobee, B.G. J. and Blom, J. H., “Fixedfilm Reactors on Aquaculture Water Recycle System: Effect of Organic Matter Elimination on Nitrification Kinetic,”Water Research,24(2), 207 (1990).
Davis, D. A. and Arnold, C. R., “The Design, Management and Production of a Recirculating Raceway System for the Production of Marine Shrimp,”Aquacultural Engineering,17(3), 193 (1998).
Greiner, A. D. and Timmons, M. B., “Evaluation of the Nitrification Rates of Microbead and Trickling Filters in an Intensive Recirculating Tilapia Production Facility,”Aquacultural Engineering,18(3), 189 (1998).
Hargreaves, J. A., “Review Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of Aquaculture Ponds,”Aquaculture,166(3-4), 181 (1998).
Kamstra, A., Heul, J.W. and Nihof, M., “Performance and Optimisation of Trickling Filters on Eel Farms,”Aquacultural Engineering,17(3), 175 (1998).
Knosche, R., “An Effective Biofilter Type for Eel Culture in Recirculating Systems,”Aquacultural Engineering,13(1), 71 (1994).
Lakang, O. I. and Kleppe, H., “Efficiency of Nitrification in Trickling Filters Using Different Filter Media,”Aquacultural Engineering,21(3), 181 (2000).
Menasveta, P., Panritdam, T., Sihanonth, P., Powtongsook, S., Chuntapa, B. and Lee, P.G., “Design and Function of Closed, Recirculating Seawater System with Denitrification for the Culture of Black Tiger Shrimp Broodstock,”Aquacultural Engineering,25(1), 35 (2001).
Nijhof, M., “Bacterial Stratification and Hydraulic Loading Effects in a Plug-flow Model for Nitrifying Tricking Filters Applied in Recirculating Fish Culture Systems,”Aquaculture,134(1-2), 49 (1995).
Nijhof, M. and Bovendeur, J., “Fixed Film Nitrification Characteristics in Sea-Water Recirculation Fish Culture Systems,”Aquaculture,87, 133 (1990).
Otte, G. and Rosenthal, H., “Management of a Closed Brackish Water System for High-density Fish Culture by Biological and Chemical Water Treatment,”Aquaculture,18, 169 (1979).
Reyes, A. A. and Lawson, T. B., “Combination of a Bead Filter and Rotating Biological Contactor in a Recirculating Fish Culture System,”Aquacultural Engineering,15(1), 27 (1996).
Sastry, N. B., Reyes, A. A., Rusch, K. A. and Malone, R. F., “Nitrification Performance of a Bubble-washed Bead Filter for Combined Solids Removal and Biological Filtration in a Recirculating Aquaculture System,”Aquacultural Engineering,19(2), 105 (1999).
Sauthier, N., Grasmick, A. and Blancheton, J. P., “Biological Denitrification Applied to a Marine Closed Aquaculture System,”Water Research,32(6), 1932 (1998).
Skolstrup, J., Nielsen, P. H., Frier, J. O. and McLean, E., “Performance Characteristic of Fluidized Bed Biofilters in a Novel Laboratory-scale Recirculation System for Rainbow Trout: Nitrification Rate, Oxygen Consumption and Sludge Collection,”Aquacultural Engineering,18(4), 265 (1998).
Strickland, J. D.H. and Parson, T. R.,A Practice Handbook of Seawater Analysis, 2nd edn. Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin NO. 167, Ottawa, Canada (1972).
Tal, Y., Watts, E.M., Schreier, S. B., Sowers, K. R. and Schreier, H. J., “Characteristic of the Microbial Community and Nitrogen Transformation Processes Associated with Moving Bed Bioreactors in a Closed Recirculated Mariculture System,”Aquaculture,215(1-4), 187 (2003).
van Rijn, J. and Rivera, G., “Aerobic and Anaerobic Biofiltration in an Aquaculture Unit-nitrite Accumulation as a Result of Nitrification and Denitrification,”Aquacultural Engineering,9, 217 (1990).
Wickins, J. F., “Ammonia Production and Oxidation During the Culture of Marine Prawns and Lobsters in Laboratory Recirculation Systems,”Aquacultural Engineering,4, 155 (1985).
Wortman, B. and Wheaton, F., “Temperature Effects on Biodrum Nitrification,”Aquacultural Engineering,10, 183 (1991).
Zhu, S. and Chen, S., “An Experimental Study on Nitrification Biofilm Performances Using a Series Reactor System,”Aquacultural Engineering,20(4), 245 (1999).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Silapakul, S., Powtongsook, S. & Pavasant, P. Nitrogen compounds removal in a packed bed external loop airlift bioreactor. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 22, 393–398 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02719417
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02719417