Author: Duc Toan Do
Do, Duc Toan, 2016 Integration of nitrification with denitrification for surface water and groundwater treatment, Flinders University, School of the Environment
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With the growth of major cities led by the population boom over the world and poor water catchment protection, surface water and groundwater sources can be polluted by many substances, of which, ammonia is one of the primary factors. While conventional methods for ammonia treatment using chlorine present limitations during treatment processes, biological treatment solutions are highly appropriate in efficiently removing contaminants such as ammonia.
The study was conducted by an experiment at the lab-scale focused on the integration of a nitrification system with a denitrification system to remove ammonia and other nitrogen compounds in treatment surface water and groundwater. The experiment was conducted in four phases including bacteria development, primary defining capacity of nitrification and denitrification systems, maximum capacity of the nitrification system and maximum capacity of the denitrification system. The results revealed that the nitrification system with hydraulic rate of 0.3 L min-1 can remove 83 mg NH4-N day-1 with 4.88 m2 of polypropylene media. It corresponds to 17 mg NH4-N m-2 day-1 of ammonium nitrogen surface load. Meanwhile, 716 mg NO3-N day-1 was eliminated by the denitrification system with hydraulic rate of 15 ml min-1 for Column 1 and 2 and 12 and 15 ml min-1 for Column 3 and 4 respectively.
A graph of the relationship among ammonium/nitrate mass, polypropylene media volume and barley straw mass was created based on the results of the experiment. The results contribute a basic foundation to select the suitable model integrating a nitrification unit and a denitrification unit in removing ammonium and nitrite in surface water and groundwater treatment.
Keywords: Nitrogen, ammonia, ammonium, nitrification, denitrification, integration, surface water and groundwater treatment, barley, sponge iron, polypropylene media
Subject: Water Resources Management thesis, Environmental management thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2016
School: School of the Environment
Supervisor: Howard Fallowfield