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Biological Methods of Wastewater Treatment Biological Methods of Wastewater Treatment
Organics are removed in a biological-
biological-treatment process by These reactions can be illustrated by the following
one or more mechanisms, namely sorption, stripping, or generic equations:
biodegradation.
When organic matter is removed from solution by aerobic
microorganisms, two basic phenomena occur: Oxygen is
consumed by the organisms for energy, and new cell mass
is synthesized. The organisms also undergo progressive
autooxidation in their cellular mass.
Biological Methods of Wastewater Treatment Mechanism of Biodegradation
Primary concern to the engineer in the design and
operation of industrial waste treatment facilities are
the rate at which these reactions occur
the amounts of oxygen and nutrient they require
and the quantity of biological sludge they produce.
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Biological Methods of Wastewater Treatment
THE MECHANISMS OF ORGANIC REMOVAL BY BIOOXIDATION
Removal of suspended matter by enmeshment in the
biological floc. This removal is rapid and depends upon
adequate mixing of the wastewater with the sludge.
Removal of colloidal material by physicochemical
adsorption on the biological floc
A biosorption of soluble organic matter by the
microorganisms.
Reactions occurring during Biooxidation
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Nutrient Requirements
Several mineral elements are essential for the metabolism of organic
matter by microorganisms.
Sewage provides a balanced microbial diet, but many industrial wastes
(can-nery, pulp and paper, etc.) do not contain sufficient nitrogen and
phosphorus and require their addition as a supplement.
The nitrogen and phosphorus requirements can be calculated by
considering the nitrogen and phosphorus content of the biological
sludge wasted from the process:
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Types of Activated sludge Processes
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Activated Sludge Design
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Roughing trickling filter with forced ventilation at a coffee
extraction plant A cluster of three anaerobic digesters used at a sugar mill
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