A Biofilm Airlift Suspension (BAS) reactor was operated with nitrifying biofilm growth and heterotrophic suspended growth, simultaneously converting ammonium and acetate. Growth of heterotrophs in suspension decreases the diffusion limitation for the nitrifiers, and enlarges the nitrifying capacity of a biofilm reactor. Neither nitrifiers nor heterotrophs suffer from additional oxygen diffusion limitation when the heterotrophs grow in suspension. Control of the location of heterotrophic growth, either in suspension or in biofilms over the nitrifying biofilms, was possible by manipulation of the hydraulic retention time. A time delay for formation and disappearance of the heterotrophic biofilms of 10 to 15 days was observed. Surprisingly, it was found that in the presence of the heterotrophic layers the maximum specific activity on ammonia of the nitrifying biofilms increased. The reason for the increase in activity is unknown. The effect of heterotrophic biofilm formation on oxygen diffusion limitation for the nitrifiers is discussed. Some phenomena compensating the increased mass transfer resistance due to the growth of a heterotrophic layer are also presented.

The solids retention time in biofilms was determined by using fluorescent microbeads as solid tracers. Attachment to and detachment from the biofilms, as well as surface concentration of the microbeads were measured. The surface concentration depended on the surface characteristics of the biofilms. The attachment rate was equal in three experiments and dependent on hydrodynamic conditions in the reactor. In all cases the detachment rate was much smaller than the attachment rate and larger than the average solids retention time of the active biomass. Release of the beads was determined by local, nonuniform detachment phenomena. Microbeads were observed to penetrate into the biofilms. This is not in accordance with conventional biofilm models. Therefore a new biofilm model concept is proposed. The biofilm is a dynamic structure, in which formation of cracks and fissures is taking place continuously. The crevices are filled with fresh biomass rapidly and particulates which are present are entrapped inside the biofilm.