Tertiary Treatment:

Nutrient Removal, Solids Removal, and Disinfection

Treated Wastewater Effluent Contains

BOD (biochemical oxygen demand)

TSS (total suspended solids)

NH3 (ammonia)

NO3 (nitrate)

TP (total phosphorus)

Pathogens (bacteria/viruses)
 First, We Must Understand
Wastewater Assimilation
A sites ability to handle the amount of liquid or the
amount of pollutants without causing a public health or
environmental health concern

In-ground or In-stream discharge

Sometimes, high-quality effluent is necessary

Low BOD
Low fecal coliform
Low nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus)

Protection of sensitive waterbodies, nearby

Or drinking water supplies (groundwater & wells)
 Discharge Permits

In-ground dispersal

UIC Permit (underground injection

control)
Specifies a certain effluent quantity
and quality
BOD, TSS and groundwater monitoring
for NO3
 Surface dispersal
Stream Discharge
NPDES Permit (specifies BOD, TSS,
NH3, NO3, TP, etc.)

Disinfection Required

Spray Irrigation
NPDES Permit

7-10 day holding pond required

Disinfection Required
Why is tertiary treatment needed?

To better protect public health and environment

To provide additional treatment when soils or receiving waters

cannot
 Biological Nitrogen Removal

Uptake into biological cell mass

Nitrification (conversion to Nitrate)

Denitrification (conversion to N2 gas)

 Biological Nitrification

Conversion of Ammonia to Nitrite (Nitrosomonas)

NH4+ + 2 O2 NO2- + 2 H+ + H2O

Conversion of Nitrite to Nitrate (Nitrobacter)

NO2- + 0.5 O2 NO3-

 Nitrification (cont.)

For each mg of NH4+ converted

3.96 mg of O2 are utilized (Need Oxygen)

0.31 mg of new cells are formed
7.01 mg of alkalinity are removed
 Nitrification (cont.)
Nitrifying bacteria are sensitive and susceptible to
a variety of conditions.

The following factors affect nitrification:

Conc of NH4+ and NO2-
BOD/TKN ratio (BOD should be gone/removed)
Dissolved oxygen conc (need oxygen)
Temperature
pH (7.5 to 8.6)
Nitrification Processes

Suspended Growth Separate Stage Nitrification

Single State Nitrification

Nitrification Processes

Attached Growth

Attached Growth Nitrification following Act. Sludge

 Biological Denitrification

A modification of aerobic pathways (no oxygen)

Same bacteria that consume carbon material aerobically

Denitrifying bacteria obtain energy from the

conversion of NO3- to N2 gas, but
require a carbon source

NO3- + CH3OH + H2CO3 C5H7O2N + N2 + H2O + HCO3-

Organic matter Cell mass

 Denitrification

Need low (no) oxygen (< 1 mg/L)

Need carbon source (BOD in

Wastewater)

Neutral pH (pH 7)

Conc of nitrate
 Denitrification (cont.)

Separate denitrification reactor

or

Combined Carbon Oxidation-nitrification-denitrification reactor

A series of alternating aerobic and anoxic stages

Reduces the amount of air needed
No need for supplemental carbon source
Combined Nitrification/Denitrification
(note alternating regions of aerobic and anoxic)
 Phosphorus Removal

Chemical Precipitation
Calcium (lime) addition at high pH (>10)

Reacts with alkalinity

Alum (Aluminum Sulfate) precipitation

Iron precipitation
 Disinfection

Selective destruction of disease-causing organisms

1. Chlorine

2. UV Light

3. Ozone (gas)
Chlorine Disinfection

1. Liquid chlorine
2. Sodium hypochlorite (tablets)

Note: not allowed to discharge chlorine

(it must be removed after disinfection)

* chlorine removed with either

a. sulfur dioxide
b. sodium bisulfite
Tablet Chlorinator
(Calcium Hypochlorite)
 Chlorine Disinfection

To be effective
Chlorine concentration

Contact time

Proper mixing

Temperature

Number and type of organisms

Chlorine Dose
UV Disinfection

UV Light
Specific wavelengths have biocidal properties (~254 nm)

Quartz, mercury-vapor lamps

Cleaning required

No residual
UV Disinfection
a specific wavelength of light
UV Disinfection
 Ozone Disinfection

O3 a gas, must be generated on-site

Bubbled into a basin (or pipeline) with treated

effluent

Great disinfectant!

No residualozone degrades to oxygen, O2

Costs More, Need equipment and electricity

Ozone Disinfection

Flow Diagram Ozone Generation