PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF ADVANCED ANAEROBIC-ANOXIC-OXIC (AAO) REACTOR FOR NUTRIENT REMOVAL IN SEWAGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/aej.v16.24240Keywords:
advanced AAO, AAO , Biological Phosphorus Removal , Nutrient RemovalAbstract
Sewage contains significant levels of nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus, which can severely harm aquatic ecosystems when discharged untreated. Insufficient removal of these nutrients before discharge may lead to eutrophication that will result detrimental ecological effects to the receiving water bodies. This study investigated the performance of advanced Anaerobic-Anoxic-Oxic (AAO) reactors in a full-scale application in an existing sewage treatment plant (STP) located in Kuala Lumpur where this is the first of its kind operating in Malaysia. This plant utilizes biological treatment method for nitrogen and phosphorus removal without relying on chemical precipitation that will increase the overall operation expenditure of the plant operator. Over 26 weeks, the study evaluated the plant's performance with actual sewage inflows entering the plant with an average treatment capacity of 170 million liters per day (MLD). The findings revealed removal efficiencies of 94.0% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), while nutrient removal efficiencies for Ammoniacal Nitrogen (AMN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) reached 83.9% and 86.7% respectively. The effluent concentrations for AMN, Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3-N) and TP averaged 1.7 ± 0.1 mg/L, 2.2 ± 0.7 mg/L and 0.5 ± 0.3 mg/L respectively. These results demonstrate that the advanced AAO reactor complies with Standard A effluent discharge limits for COD, NO3-N and AMN, while achieving a TP effluent concentration below 5 mg/L.
References
Metcalf & Eddy, 2014. Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Resource Recovery, 5th ed. McGraw-Hill Education.
National Water Services Commission (SPAN), 2009. Malaysian Sewerage Industry Guideline: Sewage Treatment Plant, Vol. IV, 3rd ed. National Water Services Commission (SPAN), Putrajaya, Malaysia.
National Water Services Commission (SPAN), 2020. Water and Sewerage Fact Book 2020. National Water Services Commission (SPAN), Putrajaya, Malaysia. Available: https://www.span.gov.my/document/upload/ANpj5zmwoMX4SKLGdfPcqMTJjoCRdK0W.pdf
Government of Malaysia, 2009. Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) and Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009. Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
P. Izadi and A. Eldyasti, 2020. “Design, operation and technology configurations for enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process: a review,” Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 19(4): 561–593. DOI: 10.1007/s11157-020-09538-w.
W. Xiaolian, P. Yongzhen, W. Shuying, F. Jie, and C. Xuemei, 2006. “Influence of wastewater composition on nitrogen and phosphorus removal and process control in A2O process,” Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, 28(6): 397–404. DOI: 10.1007/s00449-006-0044-5.
Y. Chen, C. Peng, J. Wang, L. Ye, L. Zhang, and Y. Peng, 2011. “Effect of nitrate recycling ratio on simultaneous biological nutrient removal in a novel anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A2/O)-biological aerated filter (BAF) system,” Bioresource Technology, 102(10): 5722–5727. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.02.114.
S. Lei, J. Zhao, J. Zhao, S. Xie, J. Zhang, and B. Shi, 2022. “Optimization of A2O process by changing anoxic tank volume based on GPS-X simulation,” Research Square. DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2058607/v1.
F. Fang et al., 2016. “Quantitative evaluation of A2O and reversed A2O processes for biological municipal wastewater treatment using a projection pursuit method,” Separation and Purification Technology, 166: 164–170. DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2016.04.036.
K. Wang et al., 2023. “Comparison on biological nutrient removal and microbial community between full-scale anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic process and its upgrading processes,” Bioresource Technology, 374: 128757. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128757.
W. Zeng, L. Li, Y. Yang, S. Wang, and Y. Peng, 2010. “Nitritation and denitritation of domestic wastewater using a continuous anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A2O) process at ambient temperatures,” Bioresource Technology, 101(21): 8074–8082. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2010.05.098.
X. Meng et al., 2013. “A full-scale anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process coupled with low-dose ozonation for performance improvement,” Bioresource Technology, 146: 240–246. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.045.
S. Chakraborty and H. Veeramani, 2006. “Effect of HRT and recycle ratio on removal of cyanide, phenol, thiocyanate and ammonia in an anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic continuous system,” Process Biochemistry, 41(1): 96–105. DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2005.03.067.
J. C. Leyva-Díaz, M. M. Muñío, J. González-López, and J. M. Poyatos, 2016. “Anaerobic/anoxic/oxic configuration in hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactor for nutrient removal from municipal wastewater,” Ecological Engineering, 91: 449–458. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.03.006.
S. Ge, Y. Zhu, C. Lu, S. Wang, and Y. Peng, 2012. “Full-scale demonstration of step feed concept for improving an anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic nutrient removal process,” Bioresource Technology, 120: 305–313. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.06.030.
J. Wang, K. Chon, X. Ren, Y. Kou, K. J. Chae, and Y. Piao, 2019. “Effects of beneficial microorganisms on nutrient removal and excess sludge production in an anaerobic-anoxic/oxic (A2O) process for municipal wastewater treatment,” Bioresource Technology, 281: 90–98. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.02.047.
W. Zhao, Q. Sui, X. Mei, and X. Cheng, 2018. “Efficient elimination of sulfonamides by an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic-membrane bioreactor process: performance and influence of redox condition,” Science of the Total Environment, 633: 668–676. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.207.
D. T. Vo et al., 2022. “Application of an anaerobic-anoxic-oxic-oxic (AAO/O) model to the treatment of real domestic wastewater,” Journal of Chemistry, 2022: 9456026. DOI: 10.1155/2022/9456026.
Z. Zhou et al., 2011. “Simulation and performance evaluation of the anoxic/anaerobic/aerobic process for biological nutrient removal,” Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, 28(5): 1233–1240. DOI: 10.1007/s11814-010-0502-2.
E. Eghombi et al., 2022. “Efficient phosphorus recovery from municipal wastewater using enhanced biological phosphorus removal in an anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic membrane bioreactor and magnesium-based pellets,” Membranes, 12(2): 210. DOI: 10.3390/membranes12020210.
F. Li et al., 2019. “Research on operation efficiency and membrane fouling of A2/O-MBR in reclaimed water treatment,” Membranes, 9(12): 172. DOI: 10.3390/membranes9120172
