cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng.

, NUST 16/10/2006 12-1

Chapter 12

CONTROL OF NUTRIENTS IN AN ACTIVATED SLUDGE

TREATMENT PROCESS

Control of Nutrients
In recent years much attention has been directed towards the removal of nutrients
by biological means. Nitrogen and phosphorous are the principal growth limiting
nutrients. Their presence in wastewater lead to eutrophication and hence the need
for their removal prior to discharging treated effluent to the receiving water bodies.
This has seen the advent of the modified activated sludge process, more commonly
known as the Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) technology. The process is similar
to the activated sludge process but the reactor has specific zones for carbonaceous
oxidation, nitrification-denitrification of ammonium compounds and the phosphorous
striping. In Zimbabwe BNR technology has been successfully implemented in
Mutare, Bulawayo and Harare.

Removal of nitrogen. The removal of nitrogen is by bacteria through assimilation

and nitrification-denitrification and the process is summarized in Fig. 1. Wastewater
enters the treatment plant with a greater % of unstable organic compounds, which
are readily transformed, to ammonia.

Nitrification
Wastewater enters the treatment plant with a greater percentage of nitrogen present
as ammonia especially domestic. It may also enter as unstable organic compounds
which are readily transformed to ammonia. The nitrifying bacteria (autotrophic
bacteria) oxidize ammonia to nitrate. The oxygen requirement for this reactions is
known as the nitrogenous oxygen demand (NOD). Nitrification is the oxidation of
ammonium ions via nitrate by bacteria.

The reaction is in two stages and takes place under aerobic conditions i.e. in the
presence of oxygen. The terminal electron acceptor is oxygen, which is reduced to
water. During the first reaction, the nitrosomonas bacteria use ammonia as the
energy source for metabolism to change ammonium nitrogen to nitrite. The next
stage of reaction involves the oxidation of the nitrite to nitrate by the nitrobacter
bacteria.

1st reaction by Nitrosomonas bacteria

NH 3 + 1.5O2 → NO 2− + H + + H 2 O + Energy

nitrite
1

Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment

cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng., NUST 16/10/2006 12-2

Organic nitrogen
(proteins, urea)

decomposition
Bacterial

Assimilation
Ammonia nitrogen (NH3) Organic Organic nitrogen
nitrogen (Net growth)
Nitrification

O2
Cell-lysis

−
Nitrite, NO2
Nitrification

O2

Denitrification
−
Nitrogen gas (N2)
Nitrate ( NO 3

Organic carbon

Fig. 1 Nitrogen transformations in biological treatment processes

The terminal electron acceptor is oxygen which is reduced to water under aerobic
conditions

2nd reaction by nitrobactor

2

Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment

cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng., NUST 16/10/2006 12-3

NO2− + H 2 O + 0.5O2 → NO3− + H 2 O

nitrate

Denitrification
If the nitrates are released in the water bodies, they will be assimilated by plants
resulting in eutrophication. The removal of these nitrates takes place during
denitrification. The nitrate is converted to a nitrite and to gaseous nitrogen under
low dissolved oxygen conditions and in the presence of a nitrate, a condition called
anoxic. Facultative bacteria utilizes nitrate as an alternative oxygen for the terminal
electron acceptor releasing gaseous nitrogen.

Nitratte → nitrite → nitric oxide → nitrous oxide → Nitrogen ↑

For total removal of nutrients, this reaction will be very essential on wastewater
treatment. And for the reaction to take place, a suitable carbon source should be
present.

NO3− + AH 2 ⎯anaerobic
⎯ ⎯ ⎯demitrific
⎯ ⎯ation
⎯
⎯→ A + H 2 O + N 2 ↑

organic carbon source (hydrogen donor)

Denitrification
The nitrate is changed to gaseous nitrogen under very low dissolved oxygen but in
the presence of nitrate, a condition called anoxic. The reaction takes place in the
presence facultative anaerobic bacteria. The influent wastewater provides the
carbon source and the nitrate from the previous reactions (nitrification) serves as
the terminal electron acceptor and is reduced to nitrogen gas.

Bioreactor configurations for the removal of nitrogen

There are several reactor configurations for the removal of amm.Nitrogen in
wastewater treatment processes and some of them are:

• Integrated approach
• Separate approach
• Modified--Ludzack- Ettinger-nitrification-denitrification activated sludge
process (MLE)
• Wurrmann-nitrification-denitrification activated sludge process
• Bardenpho Process

Integrated approach
It is the conventional type of reactor (Fig.2), and has no wall dividing the two distinct
zones, which are the anoxic and the aerobic zone. The anoxic zone is followed by
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Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment

cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng., NUST 16/10/2006 12-4

an aerobic zone. Denitrification occurs in the anoxic zone where the nitrates
coming with the return activated sludge (RAS) from the aerobic zone and are
converted to gaseous nitrogen. The carbon source is coming from the fresh
incoming wastewater rich in the carbonaceous material. In the aerobic zone
nitrification takes place simultaneously with carbonaceous oxidation due to the
availability of the oxygen. The advantages of and integrated approach are:

• high removal efficiency

• high process stability and reliability
• control process easy
• low land requirements
• moderate costs

↑ N2

Denitrification Carbonaceous Denitrifie

Q d effluent
NO3− → N 2 oxidation and
nitrification
Secondary
NH 3 → NO3− Clarifier

Air
Anoxic
zone Aerobic zone
Qw

RAS

Fig. 2: Reactor configuration for the integrated approach

Separate approach
A biodegradable organic substance is added as a carbon source, and methanol is
commonly used because of its availability and ease of application without leaving a
residual BOD in the process effluent (Fig. 3). But the disadvantage is that it is
expensive because of the methanol, which needs to be purchased and hence its
application is limited.

Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment

cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng., NUST 16/10/2006 12-5

Substrate (methanol)

↑ N2
Q Denitrification
Nitrification NO3−3 → N 2 ↑
Clarifier
NH 3 → NO3− (anoxic zone)

Air
Aerobic zone RAS
Denitrified
effluent
RAS

Qw Clarifier

Fig. 3: Separate approach

Modified--Ludzack- Ettinger-nitrification-denitrification activated sludge

process
Denitrification occurs in the anoxic zone with the nitrate being converted into
gaseous nitrogen. The influent wastewater provides the organic carbon source and
the nitrate is coming from the aerobic zone when the MLSS are pumped back into
the anoxic zone and also from the return activated sludge (Fig. 4). In the aerobic
zone there is aeration and therefore BOD reduction takes place during the oxidation
of the carbonaceous material. Oxygen is being used as the electron acceptor in the
respiratory metabolism. Again, in the same aerobic zone, nitrification occurs with
the conversion of ammonium nitrogen into nitrate via nitrite.

Mixed liquor recycle

Waste sludge

Final
Inflow effluent
Anoxic Aerobic clarifier

Air

Return activated sludge (RAS)

Fig. 4 Modified--Ludzack-Ettinger-nitrification-denitrification

Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment

cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng., NUST 16/10/2006 12-6

Wurhrmann-nitrification-denitrification activated sludge process

The carbonaceous oxidation and nitrification takes place in the aerobic zone. The
nitrates generated in the aerobic zone are transferred by the normal serial flow to
the second unaerated reactor (anoxic zone) where denitrification occurs (Fig. 5).

Waste sludge

Inflow Aerobic Final

Anoxic Humus
Tank

Return activated

Fig. 5 Wurhrmann-nitrification-denitrification activated sludge process

Bardenpho Process for nitrification-denitrification

It is a combination of the modified Ludzack-Ettinger and Wurhrmann process (Fig.
6). It has primary anoxic and aerobic zones and secondary anoxic and aerobic
zones. Therefore carbonaceous oxidation, nitrification and denitrification take place
in two stages, giving a better quality effluent than the previous reactors. The carbon
source present in the wastewater is used to denitrify the recycled nitrate. Because
organic loading is high, denitrification proceeds rapidly. The ammonia in the
wastewater passes unchanged through the first anoxic basin to be nitrified in the
first aeration basin.

Qw
Mixed liquor recycle

Anoxic Primary Secondary Aerobic

Humus
aerobic anoxic Tank
Inflow

Return activated
Final

Fig. 6. Bardenpho Process for nitrification-denitrification

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Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment

cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng., NUST 16/10/2006 12-7

Phoredox-Modified Bardenpho process for nitrification-denitrification excess

phosphorous removal (5 stage Phoredox)
The reactor configuration combines the removal of BOD, Nitrogen and
phosphorous. The BOD removal and nitrification takes place in the aerobic zone,
whilst denitrification occurs in the anoxic zone. The phosphorous removal is
through assimilation by microorganisms, which are removed as waste sludge. This
is accomplished when the microorganisms are exposed to alternating anaerobic
and aerobic conditions (Fig. 7). This stresses the microorganisms and resulting in
abnormal uptake of phosphorous. Most of the Phosphorous appears in wastewater
as orthophosphate, polyphosphate and organically bound phosphorous.
Microorganisms utilize phosphorous during cell synthesis and the acinetobacter are
primary organisms responsible for the removal of phosphorous. During anaerobic
conditions acinetobacter releases stored phosphorous during the presents of
volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the influent wastewater. The VFA are important food
substrate for acinetobacter. When the anoxic zone is followed by an aerobic zone,
the acinetobacter exhibit phosphorous uptake above normal levels for cell
maintenance, synthesis, energy transport and storage for subsequent use. The
return sludge contains little or no nitrate (no electron acceptor) creating conditions
for phosphorous removal. The sludge containing excess phosphorous is either
wasted or removed and treated in the side stream to release the excess
phosphorous under anaerobic conditions.

Mixed liquor recycle

Secondary
aerobic

Final effluent
Anaerobic Primary Secondary
anoxic Aerobic anoxic Humus
Tank

Waste sludge
Return activated sludge

Fig. 7: Phoredox-Modified Bardenpho

References

1. Ellis K., (1995), Unpublished Lecture Notes in Wastewater Engineering,

Loughborough University, UK
2. Gray N., (1992), Biology of Wastewater, Oxford Science, UK
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Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment

cmutsvangwa: Wastewater Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Water Eng., NUST 16/10/2006 12-8

3. Metcalf and Eddy, (1991), Wastewater Engineering, Treatment, Disposal and

Reuse, McGraw Hill, US

Chapter 12 Control of nutrients in activated sludge treatment