Stimulating Biological Nitrification via Electrolytic Oxygenation
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131, Issue 11
Abstract
The feasibility of electric current prompted aerobic biodegradation of in an attached growth bioreactor system is demonstrated. Nitrification was induced at electric current densities of 1.25 and and with pure oxygen supplied at a rate equivalent to when the bioreactor was operated in batch mode at 6 days detention time. About 84% loss was observed at the end of each detention period during all three experimental conditions, indicating that the electric current did not negatively impact the rate of nitrification. Nitrite accumulation was observed during the initial stages of nitrification experiments with current intensity, but nitrite did not accumulate during the other two sets of nitrification experiments. A mathematical model formulated to obtain the rates of biological reactions showed that rates of removal are similar for all aeration conditions. Abiotic experiments showed that was not removed electrolytically and via stripping, confirming that disappearance is due to biological activity.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. NSFBES-9733377. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this manuscript are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency. Mention of any specific trade name does not constitute endorsement of the product by the writers or the sponsors.
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© 2005 ASCE.
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Received: Oct 21, 2003
Accepted: Mar 10, 2005
Published online: Nov 1, 2005
Published in print: Nov 2005
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