Effect of Particulate Biodegradable COD in a Post-Denitrification Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal System

摘要

This research studied the effects of the particulate biodegradable fraction (X_S) of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in a post-denitrification configuration. Denitrifying polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (DN-PAOs) and nitrifiers were completely separated in a system also known as Dephanox. It was composed by an anaerobic-anoxic (A_2) process coupled with a parallel Nitrification biofilm tank. The results of a long-term operation of the Dephanox continuous-flow lab-scale system as well as results of sludge characterization assays showed that raw wastewater feeding promoted complete phosphorus (P) removal by double via (ⅰ) providing complementary volatile fatty acids (VFAs) for a complete P removal by prefermentation of the X_S fraction of COD under a long anaerobic SRT, and (ⅱ) assisting the metabolic accumulation and selection of DN-PAOs. Complete P removal was accomplished only when the system was fed with raw wastewater (high X_S concentration). When primary effluent was used as influent, lack of VFAs in the anaerobic stage led to an incomplete and instable P removal, suggesting that the use of primary treatment is not only unnecessary but detrimental for simultaneous nutrient removal in a post-denitrification configuration.