Electrolytically aided denitrification on a rotating biological contactor

Environ Technol. 2011 Jan;32(1-2):93-102. doi: 10.1080/09593330.2010.487642.

Abstract

The study was conducted at a bench scale on a rotating biological contactor under both conventional conditions (without the flow of electric current) and with the passage of an electric current having the following densities: 0.2 A m(-2), 0.8 A m(-)2 and 1.5 A m(-2). Stainless-steel discs covered with an immobilized biofilm served as a cathode, whereas an electrode made of stainless steel immersed in the wastewater of the flow tank of the contactor served as an anode. Experiments were carried out on municipal wastewater containing nitrogen in the organic and ammonium forms. The highest efficiency of nitrogen removal was observed with the passage of electric current at the density of 0.2 A m(-2). The efficiency of the denitrification process was over 64% and the nitrification efficiency was 93.4%.

MeSH terms

  • Biofilms*
  • Bioreactors*
  • Denitrification
  • Electrochemical Techniques / methods*
  • Methanol / chemistry
  • Nitrogen / chemistry
  • Nitrogen / isolation & purification*
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Sewage
  • Stainless Steel
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid
  • Water Purification / methods*

Substances

  • Sewage
  • Stainless Steel
  • Nitrogen
  • Methanol