Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Small-scale domestic wastewater treatment using an alternating pumped sequencing batch biofilm reactor system

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An alternating pumped sequencing batch biofilm reactor (APSBBR) system was developed to treat small-scale domestic wastewater. This laboratory system had two reactor tanks, Reactor 1 and Reactor 2, with two identical plastic biofilm modules in each reactor. Reactor 1 of the APSBBR had five operational phases—fill, anoxic, aerobic, settle and draw. In the aerobic phase, the wastewater was circulated between the two reactor tanks with centrifugal pumps and aeration was mainly achieved through oxygen absorption by microorganisms in the biofilms when they were exposed to the air. This paper details the performance of the APSBBR system in treating synthetic domestic wastewater over 18 months. The effluent from the APSBBR system satisfied the European Wastewater Treatment Directive requirements, with respect to COD, ammonium-nitrogen and suspended solids. The biofilm growth in the two reactor tanks was different due to the difference in substrate loadings and growth conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Smith D, O’Neill N, Doris Y, Moriarty J (2004) Urban waste water discharges in Ireland with population equivalent greater than 500 persons: a report for the years 2002 and 2003. Irish EPA, Ireland

    Google Scholar 

  2. Boller M (1997) Small wastewater treatment plants—a challenge to wastewater engineers. Water Sci Technol 35:1–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Odegaard H, Rusten B (1980) Nitrogen removal in rotating biological contactors without the use of external carbonaceous source. In: Proceedings of the first national symposium/workshop on rotating biological contactor technology, vol. 1. Champion, Pennsylvania, pp 1301–1317

  4. APHA (1995) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 19th edn. American Public Health Association, Washington

  5. Tanyolaç A, Beyenal H (1996) Effectiveness factor for a hollow-fiber biofilm reactor at maximum substrate consumption. Chem Eng J 62:149–154

    Google Scholar 

  6. Wäsche S, Horn H, Hempel DC (2002) Influence of growth conditions on biofilm development and mass transfer at the bulk/biofilm interface. Water Res 36:4775–4784

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Schramm A, Larsen LH, Revsbech NP, Ramsing NB, Amann R, Schleifer K-H (1996) Structure and function of a nitrifying biofilm as determined by in situ hybridization and the use of microelectrodes. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:4641–4647

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nishidome K, Kusuda T, Watanabe Y, Yamauchi M, Mihara M (1994) Determination of oxygen transfer rate to a rotating biological contactor by microelectrode measurement. Water Sci Technol 29(10–11):471–477

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Tipadis G (1991) Mathematical model for wastewater treatment by the rotating biological contactor process. PhD Thesis, Imperial College, University of London

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to Enterprise Ireland for financial support and to RPS-MCOS Ltd. for the M.C. O’Sullivan Postgraduate Scholarship awarded to Edmond O’Reilly in 2002.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Michael Rodgers, Xinmin Zhan & Edmond O’Reilly

Authors
  1. Michael Rodgers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xinmin Zhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Edmond O’Reilly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xinmin Zhan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rodgers, M., Zhan, X. & O’Reilly, E. Small-scale domestic wastewater treatment using an alternating pumped sequencing batch biofilm reactor system. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 28, 323–330 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-005-0038-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-005-0038-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation