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Simultaneous removal of nutrients in a novel anaerobic–anoxic/aerobic sequencing reactor: removal of nutrients in a novel reactor

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Abstract

Discharging wastewater contaminated with nitrogen and phosphorus compounds (nutrients) can be harmful to both human health and the environment. The present study investigated the efficiency of removing total nitrogen, total phosphate, and chemical oxygen demand using a novel reactor design. The reactor was an anaerobic–anoxic/aerobic sequencing batch reactor with continuous influent and discontinuous outlet. The operation consisted of four phases. Phases 3 and 4 had mixing cycles, whereas phases 1 and 2 only had aeration, settling, and discharge cycles. Phase 4 was the most effective. The average removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand, NH4 +, total nitrogen, and total phosphate in Phase 4 were 92, 91, 86, and 85 %, respectively. This phase comprised 225 min of intermittent aeration time, 165 min of intermittent mixing time, and 90 min of settling and discharge. In addition to high efficiency in nutrient removal, the reactor had other advantages, including continuous flow and performance in all phases.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported (No. 92-6646) by the Deputy of Research and Technology of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    A. Azhdarpoor & M. Dehghani

  2. Environmental Health Engineering, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    P. Mohammadi

Authors
  1. A. Azhdarpoor
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  2. P. Mohammadi
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  3. M. Dehghani
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Correspondence to A. Azhdarpoor.

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Azhdarpoor, A., Mohammadi, P. & Dehghani, M. Simultaneous removal of nutrients in a novel anaerobic–anoxic/aerobic sequencing reactor: removal of nutrients in a novel reactor. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 13, 543–550 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-015-0871-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-015-0871-5

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