Use of a membrane bioreactor for denitrification of brine from an electrodialysis process

• Published in: Desalination Vol. 149; no. 1; pp. 331 - 336
• Main Authors: Wisniewski, Christelle, Persin, Françoise, Cherif, Toufik, Sandeaux, Roger, Grasmick, Alain, Gavach, Claude, Lutin, Florence
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 10.09.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Chemical Sciences; Denitrification; Drinking water; Drinking water and swimming-pool water. Desalination; Electrodialysis; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; France; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hybrid process; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Membrane bioreactor; Pollution; Water treatment and pollution; Denitrification; Membrane bioreactor; Drinking water; Hybrid process; Electrodialysis; Biodegradation; Drinking water treatment; Electrochemical method; Brine; Nitrates; Membrane separation; Membrane reactor; Bioreactor; Water quality; Performance; Nitrogen Compounds; Ground water
• ISSN: 0011-9164; 1873-4464
• DOI: 10.1016/S0011-9164(02)00805-6

Electrodialysis (ED) is an efficient process for the treatment of drinking water with high nitrate concentration. However it achieves only a transfer of pollution by producing concentrated brines. This study demonstrated the feasibility of ED brine denitrification in a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The results showed the high efficiency of the MBR despite the drastic conditions of nitrate concentration, pH and salinity of the ED concentrates. The denitrification kinetics close to 0.01 mgNO 3 −-N mgVSS −1 h −1 were in agreement with the literature values obtained with usual conditions. Next, the efficiency and performance of the hybrid process to treat ground water contaminated by nitrate was demonstrated in situ at Rodilhan (France). After ED treatment, the nitrate concentration of the treated water remained below the acceptable value (50 mg l −1) and a softening of the treated water was obtained. The membrane bioreactor allowed the almost total destruction of ED concentrate nitrate (99 %) with kinetics close to 0.3 kgNO 3 −-N kgVSS −1 d −1 and a sludge production of 0.5 gVSS gNO 3 −.