(188ac) Algal-Assisted Nutrient Removal of Municipal Wastewater in a Sequential Batch Reactor

Two of the greatest limitations in current wastewater treatment for the removal of nutrients is the large energy consumption in the need to aerate the activated sludge and the poor ability of sludge microbes to effectively remove phosphorus. Therefore, a combination of bacteria and microalgae could enhance the removal efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorous while increasing the potential for resource recovery at lower energy consumption for aeration due to the photosynthetic processes of the algae. This study evaluates the combination of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria with microalgae in a sequential batch reactor (SBR) at 15 ±2°C for treating real municipal wastewater. The microalgae-SBR was operated in cycles of 12 hours with anoxic and photo aerobic phases at a hydraulic retention time of 2.5 days. Light was applied continuously during the aerobic phase with minimal external air addition. Under these conditions the microalgal SBR demonstrated an additional 50% removal efficiency or soluble Phosphorus over the control as well as operating successfully with significantly less aeration.