The Influence of Biofilm Treatment Systems on Particle Size Distribution in Three Wastewater Treatment Plants

Abstract

This article presents the results of a research study that analyzed the effect that secondary biofilm treatment systems had on particle size distribution (PSD) in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants. This study focused on three biofilm technologies (i.e. a submerged biofilter system, a trickling filter system, and a rotating biological contactor system) in three working urban wastewater treatment plants. For this purpose, the variation of the fit parameters was analyzed after modeling the PSD with the power law. The greatest reduction in particle number was obtained with the submerged biofilter system, followed by the trickling filter system. In contrast, the rotating biological contactor showed the smallest reduction in particle number under the conditions of our study. It was also found that the variation of the fit parameters of the PSD, caused by the wastewater treatments was related to other wastewater parameters, such as the chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, and the mean particle size. This showed a direct relation between these parameters and the particles in wastewater.

Reduction of Contaminants (Physical, Chemical, and Microbial) in Domestic Wastewater through Hybrid Constructed Wetland

“…According to [17], the prescribed value of EC, TSS, and TDS in drinking water is 400–1215  μ S/cm, 25–80 mg/L and <1000 mg/L, respectively. In this study, it was found that EC value of untreated wastewater decreased gradually during treatment due to the decrease in TDS and TSS levels as EC is directly dependent on the suspended and dissolved solids [18]. This decrease in EC might be related to the conversion of NO 3 into diatomic molecular nitrogen (N 2 ), which also decreases EC levels of domestic wastewater, that is, 113 mg/L (77.84%) with HRT of 20 days (Figure 2(b)).…”

Sequential Application of Plastic Media-Trickling Filter and Sand Filter for Domestic Wastewater Treatment at Low Temperature Condition

“…EC is directly related to the suspended solids, dissolved solids and COD i.e. larger the number of suspended and dissolved solids in wastewater, higher will be the EC and vice versa [19]. In this study, it was found that EC value of untreated wastewater decreased gradually during treatment due to decrease in TDS and TSS levels.…”

“…During the treatment in the TF, turbidity of wastewater was completely removed with an efficiency of 100%. This might be due to the degradation of compounds in the wastewater by microorganisms during treatment [19,20,22].…”