The Feasibility of Using Spent Sulfidic Caustic as Alternative Sulfur and Alkalinity Sources in Autotrophic Denitrification

Im-Gyu Byun; Ju-Hyun Ko; Young-Rok Jung; Tae-Ho Lee; Chang-Won Kim; Tae-Joo Park

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol.22, No.6, 910-916, November, 2005

Im-Gyu Byun^†, Ju-Hyun Ko, Young-Rok Jung, Tae-Ho Lee¹, Chang-Won Kim, and Tae-Joo Park

Department of Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea
¹Department of Environmental Engineering, Andong National University, Andong 760-749, Korea

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Batch experiments using acclimated sludge to sulfur utilizing autotrophic denitrification were performed to determine the applicability of spent sulfidic caustic in autotrophic denitrification as alternative sulfur and alkalinity sources. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed that the microbial community of β-proteobacteria/Eubacteria increased from 45% to 69% during enrichment period and nitrate removal reached up to 84% under this enriched sludge condition. In thiosulfate utilizing autotrophic denitrification, the initial condition at a sulfur/nitrate (S/N) ratio of 1.5 showed higher nitrate removal with 95.9%, and nitrate removal could be expressed by a first-order function of biomass concentration if all parameters such as pH, alkalinity and S/N ratio were in the optimum range. In spent sulfidic caustic utilizing autotrophic denitrification, the sulfate formation ratios to nitrate reduction were lower than those in thiosulfate utilizing autotrophic denitrification with a range of 2.65 to 2.78, and nitrate removal was over 95% at 1.0 and 1.5 S/N ratios. For S/N ratios of 1.0 and 1.5, initial alkalinities were sufficient to maintain optimum pH range of autotrophic denitrification. Furthermore, well enriched seeding sludge showed good activity of autotrophic denitrification at pH over 10. Therefore, spent sulfidic caustic could be effectively applied to autotrophic denitrification as an alternative sulfur source and an alkalinity source.

Keywords:Autotrophic Denitrification;FISH;Microbial Community;Spent-sulfuric Caustic;S/N Ratio;Nitrate Removal;Sulfate Production

[References]

APHA, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th Edition, Washington DC (1998)
Batchelor B, Lawrence AW, "Autotrophic Denitrification Using Elemental Sulfur", J. WPCF., August, 1986-2001 (1978)
Bisgoni JJ, Discoll CT, "Denitrification using Thiosulfate and Sulfide", Journal of the Environmental Engineering Division, August, 593 (1977)
Claus G, Kutzner HJ, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 22, 283 (1985)
Flere JM, Zhang TC, J. Environ. Eng.-ASCE, 125(8), 721 (1999)
Kim EW, Bae JH, Water Sci. Technol., 42(3-4), 233 (2000)
Kim IS, Kim SY, Kim MS, Park WS, Jung HJ, J. Korean Society on Water Quality, 1, 67 (2004)
Koenig A, Liu LH, Water Res., 35(8), 1969 (2001)
Lee JW, Lee HW, Lee SY, Kwon SY, Choi ES, Park YK, J. KSEE, 25(11), 1352 (2003)
Liu LH, Koenig A, Process Biochem., 37, 885 (2002)
Matcalf and Eddy Inc,. Wastewater Engineering: Treatment, Disposal, Reuse, 3rd revised ed., Revised by Tchobanoglous G, Burton FL. New York, McGraw-Hill, 371 (1991)
Quan ZX, Jin YS, Yin CR, Lee JJ, Lee ST, Hydrolyzed Molasses as an External Carbon Source in Biological Nitrogen Removal, Bioresource Technology, adapted 17 December (2005)
Park SJ, Kim CG, Yoon TI, Kim DW, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 20(3), 492 (2003)
Lee JH, Nam HU, Park TJ, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 16(3), 303 (1999)
Schramm A, de Beer D, Wagner M, Amann R, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 64(9), 3480 (1998)
Schramm A, de Beer D, Gieseke A, Amann R, Environ. Microbiol., 2(6), 680 (2000)
Sipma J, Svitelskaya A, Mark B, Pol LWH, Lettinga G, Buisman GJN, Janssen AJH, Water Res., 38, 4331 (2004)
Zhang TC, Lampe DG, Water Res., 33(3), 599 (1999)

[Referenced By]

[1] APHA, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th Edition, Washington DC (1998)

[2] Batchelor B, Lawrence AW, "Autotrophic Denitrification Using Elemental Sulfur", J. WPCF., August, 1986-2001 (1978)

[3] Bisgoni JJ, Discoll CT, "Denitrification using Thiosulfate and Sulfide", Journal of the Environmental Engineering Division, August, 593 (1977)

[4] Claus G, Kutzner HJ, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 22, 283 (1985)

[5] Flere JM, Zhang TC, J. Environ. Eng.-ASCE, 125(8), 721 (1999)

[6] Kim EW, Bae JH, Water Sci. Technol., 42(3-4), 233 (2000)

[7] Kim IS, Kim SY, Kim MS, Park WS, Jung HJ, J. Korean Society on Water Quality, 1, 67 (2004)

[8] Koenig A, Liu LH, Water Res., 35(8), 1969 (2001)

[9] Lee JW, Lee HW, Lee SY, Kwon SY, Choi ES, Park YK, J. KSEE, 25(11), 1352 (2003)

[10] Liu LH, Koenig A, Process Biochem., 37, 885 (2002)

[11] Matcalf and Eddy Inc,. Wastewater Engineering: Treatment, Disposal, Reuse, 3rd revised ed., Revised by Tchobanoglous G, Burton FL. New York, McGraw-Hill, 371 (1991)

[12] Quan ZX, Jin YS, Yin CR, Lee JJ, Lee ST, Hydrolyzed Molasses as an External Carbon Source in Biological Nitrogen Removal, Bioresource Technology, adapted 17 December (2005)

[13] Park SJ, Kim CG, Yoon TI, Kim DW, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 20(3), 492 (2003)

[14] Lee JH, Nam HU, Park TJ, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 16(3), 303 (1999)

[15] Schramm A, de Beer D, Wagner M, Amann R, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 64(9), 3480 (1998)

[16] Schramm A, de Beer D, Gieseke A, Amann R, Environ. Microbiol., 2(6), 680 (2000)

[17] Sipma J, Svitelskaya A, Mark B, Pol LWH, Lettinga G, Buisman GJN, Janssen AJH, Water Res., 38, 4331 (2004)

[18] Zhang TC, Lampe DG, Water Res., 33(3), 599 (1999)