Ingeniería ambiental

 

Simultaneous ammonium and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde oxidation in a sequencing batch reactor

 

Oxidación simultánea de amonio y p-hidroxibenzaldehido en un reactor de lotes secuenciados

 

S.K. Téllez-Pérez, C.D. Silva and A.C. Texier*

 

¹ Centro de Investigación y Estudios de Posgrado. FCQ. UASLP. Av. Dr. Manuel Nava. No. 6, Zona Universitaria. C.P. 78210, San Luis Potosí. SLP, México.

² División de Estudios de Posgrado del ITCM. J. Rosas y J. Urueta S/N col. Los Mangos, C.P. 89440, Cd. Madero, Tam., México. *Corresponding author. E-mail: actx@xanum.uam.mx

 

Recibido 25 de Enero de 2012
Aceptado 22 de Noviembre 2012

 

Abstract

The simultaneous ammonium and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (pOHBD) oxidation capacity of a nitrifying sludge was investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). At all initial pOHBD concentrations tested (25-400 mg C/L), both ammonium (100 mg NH_4-⁺N/L) and pOHBD were consumed with efficiencies of 99.2 ± 1.5% and 100 ±t 1%, respectively. At pOHBD concentrations lower than 100 mg C/L, the main product of ammonium oxidation was nitrate with a yield (Y_NO3) of 0.97 ± 0.03 g NO^-₃-N/g NH⁺₄-N consumed. At 200 and 400 mg pOHBD-C/L, Y_NO3 decreased to 0.78 ± 0.05 and nitrite was detected (Y_NO2 = 0.04 ± 0.01 g NO^-₂-N/g NH⁺₄-N consumed). p-Hydroxybenzoate (pOHBT) was detected as product of pOHBD oxidation. pOHBT accumulation was significant in the first operation cycles at 25 mg pOHBD-C/L. Afterward, pOHBT was completely removed and no aromatic intermediates were detected. At low C/N ratio values (0.25-4), a dissimilatory nitrifying respiratory process was maintained (Y_BM = 0.03 ± 0.01 g biomass-N/g NH⁺₄-N consumed). These results show that nitrifying SBR can be successfully used for the simultaneous removal of animonium and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde in a unique reactor. This information might be useful for treating industrial wastewaters contaminated with nitrogen and recalcitrant phenolic compounds.

Keywords: ammonium, biological oxidation, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, nitrification, sequencing batch reactor.

 

Resumen

La capacidad de un lodo nitrificante para oxidar simultáneamente amonio y p-hidroxibenzaldehido (pOHBO) fue evaluada en un reactor de lotes secuenciados (SBR). A todas las concentraciones ensayadas (25-400 mg C-pOHBO/L), el amonio (100 mg N-NH⁺₄/L) y el pOHBO fueron consumidos con eficiencias de 99.2 ± 1.5% y de 100 ± 1%, respectivamente. Hasta 100 mg C-CpOHBO/L, el nitrato fue el principal producto de la oxidación del amonio con un rendimiento (Y_NO3) de 0.97 ± 0.03 g N-NO^-₃g/g N-NH⁺₄ consumido). A 200 y 400 mg C-pOHBO/L, Y_NO3 disminuyó a 0.78 ± 0.05 y nitrito fue detectado (Y_NO2 = 0.04 ± 0.01 g N-NO-₂/g N-NH⁺₄ consumido). El p-hidroxibenzoato (pOHBT) se detectó como producto de la oxidación del pOHBO. El pOHBT se acumuló significativamente en los primeros ciclos de operación, pero posteriormente fue completamente consumido y no se detectó ningún intermediario aromático. A valores de relación C/N bajos (0.25-4), se mantuvo un proceso respiratorio nitrificante desasimilativo (Y_BM = 0.03 ± 0.01 g N-biomasa/g N-NH⁺₄ consumido). Estos resultados muestran que los reactores SBR nitrificantes pueden ser exitosamente utilizados para la eliminación simultánea de amonio y p-hidroxibenzaldehido en un solo reactor. Esta información puede ser útil para el tratamiento de aguas residuales industriales contaminadas por nitrógeno y compuestos fenólicos recalcitrantes.

Palabras clave: amonio, oxidación biológica, p-hidroxibenzaldehido, nitrificación, reactor de lotes secuenciados.

 

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