Evaluation of pulp and paper wastewater cell growth kinetics using batch total organic carbon measurement

摘要

The Australian Paper Maryvale Mill is an integrated pulp and paper mill that produces printing and packaging papers. The efficient operation of the wastewater treatment plant contributes to the sustainable future of the mill. An important component of the wastewater treatment system is the conversion of dissolved material into solid biomass using biological processes. The kinetics of cell growth and decay play an important role in this biological process. This work includes laboratory batch growth experiments using Total Organic Carbon (TOC) to evaluate the key kinetic parameters of the system. The biomass growth and substrate removal characteristics of the site wastewater treatment plant were investigated. This work utilised batch growth studies to evaluate wastewater bioprocess parameters. The cell maintenance coefficient m_c was determined during the stationary phase of a batch growth experiment. The yield and endogenous decay parameters were then determined followed by the evaluation of Monod equation parameters (U_(gmax), K_s, k_m). The batch testing allowed the determination of kinetic growth parameters of maximum cell growth rate U_(gmax) = 3.35 day~(-1), endogenous decay rate k_d= 0.5 day~(-1), maintenance coefficient m_c = 0.65 mg dTOC/mg pTOC per day and total organic carbon yield Y = 0.77 pTOC/dTOC. The growth kinetics allows wastewater treatment engineering design to be optimised, and provide a tool for analysing complex wastewater treatment systems.