ARS | Publication request: FIELD ACCLIMATION OF ENCAPSULATED NITRIFIERS TO SWINE WASTEWATER

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 15, 1998
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Nitrifying microorganisms encapsulated in polymer resins are used in municipal wastewater treatment plants for higher nitrification rates and smaller reactors. A prototype plant was set up in a swine operation in Duplin Co., North Carolina, for nitrification treatment of lagoon wastewater. The unit consisted of a 0.34 m**3 contact aeration tank made of PVC crossflow media used to lower influent BOD and a 1.3 m**3 aerated fluidized tank for nitrification, and completed with pH and DO controllers. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) pellets containing 2% activated municipal sludge were added in the nitrification tank at 10% (v/v) concentration. Pellets were successfully acclimated to swine wastewater during a 3-month period in which the ammonia loading rate was increased by decreasing the hydraulic residence time (HRT). At the initial 48 h HRT, nitrification activity of pellets increased from 0.02 to 2.0 g N/L-pellet/d in 30 d. Nitrification activity further increased to 3.2 and 4.3 g N/L-pellet/d at HRT's of 32 and 24 h, respectively.