Effect of alkalinity on bio-zeolite regeneration in treating cold low-strength ammonium wastewater via adsorption and enhanced regeneration

Chen, Jing; Wang, Xiaojun; Zhou, Songwei; Chen, Zhenguo

Effect of alkalinity on bio-zeolite regeneration in treating cold low-strength ammonium wastewater via adsorption and enhanced regeneration

2019

Chen, Jing | Wang, Xiaojun | Zhou, Songwei | Chen, Zhenguo

Low temperature severely inhibits microbial activity, making biological method inefficient for ammonium removal from wastewater. A zeolite biological fixed-bed (ZBFB) was successfully established for 6.0–8.0 °C low-strength ammonium wastewater treatment via adsorption-regeneration. Ion exchange was a remarkable alternative and zeolite was mostly applied. Nevertheless, insufficient zeolite bio-regeneration rate was the key obstacle for economically sustainable utilization. By adsorption, effluent NH₄⁺-N was around 1.5–2.5 mg/L. About 26% regeneration rate was obtained. With a ceramsite biological aerobic filter (CBAF) operated with ZBFB in series at the regeneration stage, the regeneration rate reached 95%, 3.5 times higher. Studies of alkalinity effects on bio-zeolite regeneration process indicated that Na₂CO₃ worked better than NaHCO₃. Greater amount and one dose mode of alkalinity addition, higher regeneration rate could be obtained. The bio-zeolite regeneration process followed pseudo first-order kinetics with K = 0.0629 h⁻¹. High-throughput sequencing analysis indicated the enriched nitrifying microorganisms in CBAF fully oxidized NH₄⁺-N in regeneration solution, which accelerated desorption and conversion of NH₄⁺-N by the circulation of regeneration solution between ZBFB and CBAF. The dynamic adsorption experiment proved that ZBFB-CBAF was feasible for cold low-strength ammonium wastewater treatment.

Показать больше [+]