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A Proposed Approach to Protect Wastewater Biological Treatment Plants Against Toxic Contaminants
Title
A Proposed Approach to Protect Wastewater Biological Treatment Plants Against Toxic Contaminants.
Creator
Phillips, Joseph M., Evans, Ronald D., Engineering
Abstract / Description
Florida Technological University College of Engineering Thesis
Date Issued
1972
Identifier
CFR0011998, ucf:53081
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFR0011998
REMOVAL OF REFRACTORY TKN FROM AN EFFLUENT WASTEWATER USING SODIUM FERRATE
Title
REMOVAL OF REFRACTORY TKN FROM AN EFFLUENT WASTEWATER USING SODIUM FERRATE.
Creator
Lettie, Lucia, Reinhart, Debra, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This research addresses refractory forms of nitrogen that, even with advanced biological nitrification-denitrification systems are not removed completely from domestic wastewater. TKN (Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen), ammonia plus organic nitrogen, is one of the forms to measure the levels of nitrogen present in effluent wastewaters. Ferrate, a strong oxidant, was used for the treatment of these nitrogen forms with the objective of producing nitrogen compounds that can be removed by subsequent...
Show moreThis research addresses refractory forms of nitrogen that, even with advanced biological nitrification-denitrification systems are not removed completely from domestic wastewater. TKN (Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen), ammonia plus organic nitrogen, is one of the forms to measure the levels of nitrogen present in effluent wastewaters. Ferrate, a strong oxidant, was used for the treatment of these nitrogen forms with the objective of producing nitrogen compounds that can be removed by subsequent biological processes. Bench-scale experiments were performed on effluent samples taken prior to chlorination from an Orlando, FL wastewater treatment facility, using a biological nutrient removal process. The samples were treated with doses of ferrate ranging from 1 to 50 mg/L as FeO4–2 under unbuffered conditions. TKN removal as high as 70% and COD removal greater than 55% was observed. The TSS production after ferrate treatment was in a range of 12 to 200 mg/L for doses between 10 and 50 mg/L FeO4-2. After an optimum dose of ferrate was determined, three bench-scale reactors were operated under anoxic conditions for 10 to 12 days, two as duplicates containing the treated effluent and one as a control with untreated sample. Two different doses of ferrate were used as optimum dose for these experiments, 10 and 25 mg/L as FeO4-2. The purpose of these reactors was to determine the potential for biological removal of remaining nitrogen after ferrate oxidation of refractory nitrogen. Treated and raw samples were analyzed for Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) (filtered and unfiltered), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (filtered and unfiltered), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate (NO3-N), nitrite (NO2-N), and heterotrophic plate count (HPC). As a result, more than 70% of the soluble TKN was removed by chemical and biological oxidation for a sample treated with a dose of 25 mg/L FeO4-2, and less than 50% when treated with 10 mg/L FeO4-2. For the control samples run parallel to the ferrate treated samples, a maximum of 48% of soluble TKN and a minimum of 12% was removed. A three-log increase was observed in heterotrophic bacteria numbers for both doses during the operation of the reactors. Sodium ferrate was found to be an effective oxidant that can enhance the biodegradability of recalcitrant TKN present in municipal wastewaters. As mentioned before this research was develop using batch reactor units at bench-scale, therefore it is recommended to follow the investigation of the biodegradability of recalcitrant TKN of a ferrate treated sample under continuous flow conditions so that results can be extrapolated to a full-scale treatment facility.
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Date Issued
2006
Identifier
CFE0001247, ucf:46936
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001247
Cost and Environmental Impacts of Leachate Nitrogen/Phosphorus Management Approaches
Title
Cost and Environmental Impacts of Leachate Nitrogen/Phosphorus Management Approaches.
Creator
Alanezi, Alaa, Reinhart, Debra, Randall, Andrew, Sadmani, A H M Anwar, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Landfill leachate is a challenging wastewater to discharge into municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the most common approach for leachate management, due to the presence of contaminants that may affect the performance of the treatment plant. Treatment, disposal, and transportation of leachate are expensive and therefore a concern. Currently, sidestream treatment is becoming increasingly common in WWTPs prior to returning the liquid to the plant influent. For this research, a new...
Show moreLandfill leachate is a challenging wastewater to discharge into municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the most common approach for leachate management, due to the presence of contaminants that may affect the performance of the treatment plant. Treatment, disposal, and transportation of leachate are expensive and therefore a concern. Currently, sidestream treatment is becoming increasingly common in WWTPs prior to returning the liquid to the plant influent. For this research, a new treatment scheme is introduced combining centrate and leachate to reduce contaminants, recover phosphorous and nitrogen through struvite precipitation, and reduce energy requirements through anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox). By combining the two waste streams, the respective limited nutrients (nitrogen in centrate and nitrogen in leachate) can be removed in a low cost chemical treatment resources can be recovered. Carbon contaminants and remaining nutrients can be removed in subsequent innovative biological treatment units. The objective of this thesis is to conduct a cost analysis and environmental assessment of the proposed novel treatment approach and to compare it to more traditional landfill on-site leachate treatment approaches (e.g., membrane bioreactors (MBR) and sequencing batch reactors (SBR)). The study was completed with the use of spreadsheet-based models. Spreadsheets have been developed to evaluate treatment costs (Capital + O(&)M) for both the proposed nutrient recovery/biological and traditional on-site leachate treatments. Transportation costs of leachate to the WWTP have been studied and analyzed by the use of a spreadsheet model as a function of distance. Results suggest that treatment using Struvite (-) Aerobic Granular Sludge (-) Anammox (SGA) was higher in cost compared to traditional approaches. However, positive outcomes from this process include: lower N_2 O emissions, lower power consumption, struvite fertilizer, and overall recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus with the combination of centrate and leachate.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFE0007147, ucf:52310
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007147
Biogeochemical Cycling and Nutrient Control Strategies for Groundwater at Stormwater Infiltration Basins
Title
Biogeochemical Cycling and Nutrient Control Strategies for Groundwater at Stormwater Infiltration Basins.
Creator
O'Reilly, Andrew, Chang, Ni-bin, Wanielista, Martin, Chopra, Manoj, Wang, Dingbao, Katz, Brian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Elevated concentrations of nutrients, particularly nitrate, in groundwater and springs in Florida are a growing resource management concern. Stormwater infiltration basins, which are a common stormwater management practice in the well-drained karst terrain areas of Florida, are a potentially important source of nutrients to the groundwater system because stormwater exits the basin by only evaporation or infiltration. To better understand the biogeochemical processes integrating stormwater...
Show moreElevated concentrations of nutrients, particularly nitrate, in groundwater and springs in Florida are a growing resource management concern. Stormwater infiltration basins, which are a common stormwater management practice in the well-drained karst terrain areas of Florida, are a potentially important source of nutrients to the groundwater system because stormwater exits the basin by only evaporation or infiltration. To better understand the biogeochemical processes integrating stormwater infiltration impacts on groundwater resources in a field-scale setting, a combination of hydrologic, soil chemistry, water chemistry, dissolved and soil gas, isotope, and microbiological data was collected from 2007 through 2010 at two stormwater infiltration basins receiving runoff from predominantly residential watersheds in north-central Florida. Substantially different biogeochemical processes affecting nitrogen fate and transport were observed beneath the two stormwater infiltration basins. Differences are related to soil textural properties that deeply link hydroclimatic conditions with soil moisture variations in a humid, subtropical climate. During 2008, shallow groundwater beneath the basin with predominantly clayey soils (median 41% silt+clay content) exhibited decreases in dissolved oxygen from 3.8 to 0.1 mg/L and decreases in nitrate-nitrogen from 2.7 mg/L to less than 0.016 mg/L, followed by manganese and iron reduction, sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis. In contrast, beneath the basin with predominantly sandy soils (median 2% silt+clay content), aerobic conditions persisted from 2007 through 2009 (dissolved oxygen of 5.0(-)7.8 mg/L), resulting in nitrate-nitrogen of 1.3(-)3.3 mg/L in shallow groundwater. Soil extractable nitrate-nitrogen was significantly lower and the copper-containing nitrite reductase gene density was significantly higher beneath the clayey basin. Differences in moisture retention capacity between fine- and coarse-textured soils resulted in median volumetric gas-phase contents of 0.04 beneath the clayey basin and 0.19 beneath the sandy basin, inhibiting surface/subsurface oxygen exchange beneath the clayey basin. Subsurface biogeochemical processes at the clayey stormwater infiltration basin were further analyzed to better understand the effects of the highly variable hydrologic conditions common in humid, subtropical climates. Cyclic variations in biogeochemical processes generally coincided with wet and dry hydroclimatic conditions. Oxidizing conditions in the subsurface persisted for about one month or less at the beginning of wet periods with dissolved oxygen and nitrate showing similar temporal patterns. Reducing conditions in the subsurface evolved during prolonged flooding of the basin. At about the same time oxygen and nitrate reduction concluded, manganese, iron, and sulfate reduction began, with the onset of methanogenesis one month later. Reducing conditions persisted up to six months, continuing into subsequent dry periods until the next major oxidizing infiltration event. Evidence of denitrification in shallow groundwater at the site is supported by median nitrate-nitrogen less than 0.016 mg/L, excess nitrogen gas up to 3 mg/L progressively enriched in delta-15N during prolonged basin flooding, and isotopically heavy delta-15N and delta-18O of nitrate (up to 25 and 15 per mil, respectively). Isotopic enrichment of newly infiltrated stormwater suggests denitrification was partially completed within two days. Soil and water chemistry data suggest a biogeochemically active zone exists in the upper 1.4 m of soil, where organic carbon was the likely electron donor supplied by organic matter in soil solids or dissolved in infiltrating stormwater. The cyclic nature of reducing conditions effectively controlled the nitrogen cycle, switching nitrogen fate beneath the basin from nitrate leaching to reduction in the shallow saturated zone. Soil beneath the sandy stormwater infiltration basin was amended using biosorption activated media (BAM) to study the effectiveness of this technology in reducing inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to groundwater. The functionalized soil amendment BAM consists of a 1.0:1.9:4.1 mixture (by volume) of tire crumb (to increase sorption capacity), silt and clay (to increase soil moisture retention), and sand (to promote sufficient infiltration), which was applied to develop an innovative best management practice (BMP) utilizing nutrient reduction and flood control sub-basins. Construction and materials costs, excluding profit and permit fees, for the innovative BMP were about $US 65 per square meter of basin bottom. Comparison of nitrate/chloride ratios for the shallow groundwater indicate that prior to using BAM, nitrate concentrations were substantially influenced by nitrification or variations in nitrate input. In contrast, for the new basin utilizing BAM, nitrate/chloride ratios indicate minor nitrification and nitrate losses with the exception of one summer sample that indicated a 45% loss. Biogeochemical indicators (denitrifier activity derived from real-time polymerase chain reaction and variations in major ions, nutrients, dissolved and soil gases, and stable isotopes) suggest nitrate losses are primarily attributable to denitrification, whereas dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium and plant uptake are minor processes. Denitrification was likely occurring intermittently in anoxic microsites in the unsaturated zone, which was enhanced by increased soil moisture within the BAM layer and resultant reductions in surface/subsurface oxygen exchange that produced conditions conducive to increased denitrifier activity. Concentrations of total dissolved phosphorus and orthophosphate were reduced by more than 70% in unsaturated zone soil water, with the largest decreases in the BAM layer where sorption was the most likely mechanism for removal. Post-BAM orthophosphate/chloride ratios for shallow groundwater indicate predominantly minor increases and decreases in orthophosphate with the exception of one summer sample that indicated a 50% loss. Differences in nutrient variations between the unsaturated zone and shallow groundwater may be the result of the intensity and duration of nutrient removal processes and mixing ratios with water that had undergone little biogeochemical transformation. In order to quantify potential processes leading to observed nitrogen losses beneath the innovative BMP, an integrated infiltration basin(-)nitrogen reduction (IBNR) system dynamics model was developed. Based on two simulation periods, the IBNR model indicated denitrification accounted for a loss of about one-third of the total dissolved nitrogen mass inflow and was occurring predominantly in the BAM layer. The IBNR model results in combination with the field-based biogeochemical assessment demonstrated that the innovative BMP using the functionalized soil amendment BAM is a promising passive, economical, stormwater nutrient-treatment technology. Further field- and laboratory-scale research on the long-term sustainability of nutrient losses and further elucidation of causative physicochemical and biogeochemical mechanisms would contribute to improved BAM performance and green infrastructure development in the future.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004419, ucf:49391
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004419
Investigating Novel Water Treatment Methods and Monitoring Techniques for Sulfide-Laden Groundwater Supplies
Title
Investigating Novel Water Treatment Methods and Monitoring Techniques for Sulfide-Laden Groundwater Supplies.
Creator
Yoakum, Benjamin, Duranceau, Steven, Lee, Woo Hyoung, Sadmani, A H M Anwar, Moore, Sean, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This dissertation reports on research related to novel water treatment and monitoring techniques for sulfide-laden groundwater supplies. The dissertation is divided into several chapters with four core chapters focused on investigations studying a novel water treatment method or monitoring technique. The first investigation assessed the efficacy of multi-pass spray aeration treatment to remove trihalomethanes (THMs) and to reduce the total THM formation potential (TTHMFP) of an aerated water...
Show moreThis dissertation reports on research related to novel water treatment and monitoring techniques for sulfide-laden groundwater supplies. The dissertation is divided into several chapters with four core chapters focused on investigations studying a novel water treatment method or monitoring technique. The first investigation assessed the efficacy of multi-pass spray aeration treatment to remove trihalomethanes (THMs) and to reduce the total THM formation potential (TTHMFP) of an aerated water column post-aeration. A recirculating spray aeration pilot unit was constructed to make this assessment. To assess the effect of multi-pass spray aeration on the TTHMFP, water was recirculated through a fabricated spray nozzle for various lengths of time. Results showed that multi-pass spray aeration can remove chloroform, dichlorobromomethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform to below detection levels ((<) 0.7 ppb) for the waters investigated. Additionally, spray aeration reduced the TTHMFP of chlorinated water. Results suggest multi-pass spray aeration may be a viable treatment option for some bromide container waters. Results also indicate that multi-pass spray aeration removes bromide from the bulk water in the form of organically bound volatile compounds.The second investigation assessed the efficacy of using pre-existing tray aeration infrastructure to comply with disinfection by-product (DBP) regulations. To assess the efficacy of tray aerators to reduce the concentration TTHMs a pilot tray aerator was constructed. Results showed that after five tray passes (each pass consisting of water being passed over five trays) the concentration of TTHMs was below the detection limit ((<) 0.7 ppb) for the water investigated. To assess the efficacy of tray aeration at full-scale, a water treatment plant and the distribution system it serves were monitored for eight months. Results showed an approximate 40 ppb reduction in the TTHM concentration at two on-site monitoring locations and the one off-site monitoring location (initial concentrations being approximately 54 ppb, 60 ppb and 73 ppb, respectively). Results suggest that the utility managing the full-scale system could comply with DBP regulations by using the pre-existing tray aeration infrastructure to reduce formed THMs on-site where regulated haloacetic acids are not predominant.The third investigation assessed the efficacy of using biological activated carbon (BAC) to remove disinfection by-product precursor matter to comply with DBP regulations. To research this method, a pilot scale BAC filter was operated for three independent test runs. In addition, two full-scale WTPs using BAC were monitored over time. Results showed an approximate 40 percent removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during the three pilot runs and an approximate 55 percent removal of DOC during full-scale monitoring. Results showed that the reduction in DOC reduced the TTHMFP of BAC treated water. Results suggest that BAC treatment could be a viable treatment option to comply with DBP regulations in the sulfide-laden water studied.The fourth investigation assessed the suitability of oxidation reduction potential (ORP) to monitor the effectiveness of an oxidizing media filter used to remove sulfur from a sulfide-laden groundwater. Results showed that ORP was more useful as a measurement technique as compared to free chlorine residual when assessing filter bed health and regeneration effectiveness. It was determined that when the ORP measurement taken from within the oxidative media layer was below 500 mV, the filter bed was not providing treatment, and manganese could be released. Results showed a significant increase in turbidity ((>) 2 NTU) and total manganese ((>) 0.05 mg/L) occurred when the ORP within the filter bed dropped below 400 mV. More frequent cycling of the filters was found to be an effective treatment option to maintain ORP values above an identified 400 mV operational threshold.
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Date Issued
2017
Identifier
CFE0007141, ucf:52317
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007141
Ozone and GAC Treatment of a Central Florida Groundwater for Sulfide and Disinfectant By-Product Control
Title
Ozone and GAC Treatment of a Central Florida Groundwater for Sulfide and Disinfectant By-Product Control.
Creator
Lamoureux, Tara, Duranceau, Steven, Randall, Andrew, Wang, Dingbao, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study evaluated the combination of ozone and granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment for the removal of sulfide and disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors in drinking water at the pilot-scale. The research conducted was performed at the Auxiliary (Aux) and Main Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in Sanford, Florida. Both WTPs rely upon groundwater sources that contain total sulfide ranging from 0.02 to 2.35 mg/L and total organic carbon (TOC) ranging from 0.61 to 2.20 mg/L. The Aux WTP's...
Show moreThis study evaluated the combination of ozone and granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment for the removal of sulfide and disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors in drinking water at the pilot-scale. The research conducted was performed at the Auxiliary (Aux) and Main Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in Sanford, Florida. Both WTPs rely upon groundwater sources that contain total sulfide ranging from 0.02 to 2.35 mg/L and total organic carbon (TOC) ranging from 0.61 to 2.20 mg/L. The Aux WTP's raw water contains, on average, 88% more sulfide and 24% more TOC than the Main WTP. Haloacetic acids (HAA5) and total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) comprise the regulated forms of DBPs. HAA5 are consistently below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 60 ?g/L, while TTHM ranges from 70 to 110 ?g/L, at times exceeding the MCL of 80 ?g/L in the distribution system. Ozone alone removed total sulfide and reduced UV-254 by about 60% at the Aux Plant and 35% at the Main Plant. Producing an ozone residual of 0.50 mg/L prevented the formation of bromate while removing approximately 35 to 60% concentration of DBP precursors as measured by UV-254. Operating the GAC unit at an empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 10 minutes for the Aux Plant and 5.5 minutes for the Main Plant resulted in 75% and 53% of UV-254 reduction, respectively. The average 120 hour TTHM formation potential for the Aux and Main Plants were 66 ?g/L and 52 ?g/L, respectively, after treatment by ozone and GAC. GAC exhaustion was deemed to have occurred after seven weeks for the Aux Plant and eleven weeks for the Main Plant. The GAC columns operated in three phases: an adsorption phase, a transitional phase, and a biologically activated carbon (BAC) phase. The GAC adsorption phase was found to produce the lowest TTHMs; however, TTHMs remained less than 80 ?g/L during the BAC stage at each plant. BAC exhaustion did not occur during the course of this study. Ozone-GAC reduced chlorine demand by 73% for the Aux Plant and 10% for the Main Plant.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0004708, ucf:49824
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004708