TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of fouling on the decline of aeration efficiency under different operational conditions at WRRFs
AU - Garrido-Baserba, Manel
AU - Asvapathanagul, Pitiporn
AU - Park, Hee Deung
AU - Kim, Taek Seung
AU - Baquero-Rodriguez, G. Andres
AU - Olson, Betty H.
AU - Rosso, Diego
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Water Environment Research Foundation (contract number INFR2R12 ), with the support of the Irvine Ranch Water District, Hampton Roads Sanitation District, DC Water, and Southern California Edison. The authors thank David M. Hayden of the Irvine Ranch Michelson Water Reclamation Plant for the invaluable help and Alice K. Robinson of BKT for the help during field work.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2018/10/15
Y1 - 2018/10/15
N2 - Biofilm formation influences the most energy-demanding process in the waste water treatment cycle. Biofilm growth on the surface of wastewater aeration diffusers in water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) can increase the energy requirements up to 50% in less than 2 years. The impact of biofilms in aeration diffusers was quantified and assessed for first time using molecular tools (i.e., Energy-dispersive X-ray, Ra and RMS and Pyrosequencing) and state-of-the-art techniques (i.e., EPS quantification, Hydrophobicity and DNA quantification). To provide a better understanding and quantitative connections between biological activity and aeration energy efficiency, two replicates of the most common diffusers were installed and tested in two different operational conditions (higher and lower organic loading rate processes) during 15 months. Different scenarios and conditions provided for first time comprehensive understanding of the major factors contributing to diffuser fouling. The array of analysis suggested that higher loading conditions can promote specialized microbial populations to halve aeration efficiency parameters (i.e., αF) in comparison to lower loading conditions. Biofilms adapted to certain operational conditions can trigger changes in diffuser membrane properties (i.e., biological enhanced roughness and hydrophobicity) and enhance EPS growth rates. Improved understanding of the effects of scaling, biofouling, aging and microbial population shifts on the decrease in aeration efficiency is provided.
AB - Biofilm formation influences the most energy-demanding process in the waste water treatment cycle. Biofilm growth on the surface of wastewater aeration diffusers in water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) can increase the energy requirements up to 50% in less than 2 years. The impact of biofilms in aeration diffusers was quantified and assessed for first time using molecular tools (i.e., Energy-dispersive X-ray, Ra and RMS and Pyrosequencing) and state-of-the-art techniques (i.e., EPS quantification, Hydrophobicity and DNA quantification). To provide a better understanding and quantitative connections between biological activity and aeration energy efficiency, two replicates of the most common diffusers were installed and tested in two different operational conditions (higher and lower organic loading rate processes) during 15 months. Different scenarios and conditions provided for first time comprehensive understanding of the major factors contributing to diffuser fouling. The array of analysis suggested that higher loading conditions can promote specialized microbial populations to halve aeration efficiency parameters (i.e., αF) in comparison to lower loading conditions. Biofilms adapted to certain operational conditions can trigger changes in diffuser membrane properties (i.e., biological enhanced roughness and hydrophobicity) and enhance EPS growth rates. Improved understanding of the effects of scaling, biofouling, aging and microbial population shifts on the decrease in aeration efficiency is provided.
KW - Activated sludge
KW - Aeration
KW - Biofilm
KW - Efficiency
KW - Fine-pore diffuser
KW - Fouling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047072677&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.036
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.036
M3 - Article
C2 - 29787908
AN - SCOPUS:85047072677
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 639
SP - 248
EP - 257
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
ER -