Influence of selector technology on heavy metal removal by activated sludge: Secondary effects of selector technology

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 971 - 976
• Main Authors: Su, Ming-Chien, Cha, Daniel K., Anderson, Paul R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1995; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: activated sludge; aerobic selector; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Environment and pollution; extracellular polymers; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; heavy metals; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Zoogloea ramigera; heavy metals; activated sludge; aerobic selector; Zoogloea ramigera; extracellular polymers; Sorption; Activated sludge; Bioreactor; Aerobiosis; Adsorption isotherm; Models; Kinetics; Continuous stirred tank reactor; Comparative study; Heavy metal; Selector
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/0043-1354(94)00150-6

The purpose of this research is to compare the ability of metal removal between an aerobic selector activated sludge system and a conventional CSTR system. Metal biosorption by sludge harvested from experimental systems was determined by a series of batch experiments. Heavy metals studied in this research were zinc, cadmium and nickel. Results of experimental data revealed that metal biosorption by activated sludge was rapid; about 70% of the soluble metals in solution was removed during the first 30 min. The sorption isotherm showed that at metal equilibrium concentrations greater than 0.05 mg/l, the selector sludge had significantly higher sorption capacity than did the CSTR sludge. Metal biosorption behavior closely followed a Freudlich isotherm model for equilibrium concentrations above 0.05 mg/l. Results of the Freundlich model suggested that the adsorption capacity of sludge from the aerobic selector was significantly higher than that of the CSTR system.