Accumulating and utilizing PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates), i.e. a major carbon reserve of polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs), is a prerequisite for phosphorus removal in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) system. To evaluate phosphorus removal, this study investigates the behavior of PHAs in a hybrid anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process, operating under various sludge retention times (5, 10, 12 and 15 days) and dissolved oxygen conditions (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/l in aerobic stage). PHAs and phosphorus measurements in the pilot-scale experiments demonstrate that the PHAs content of sludge closely relates to phosphorus release and uptake behavios under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, respectively. The aerobic specific-phosphorus-uptake-rate is directly proportional to PHAs content of sludge in the anoxic stage. When the process is under a high organic loading condition, the sludge exhibits a large amount of PHAs having accumulated in the anoxic stage and a high phosphorus uptake rate in the subsequent aerobic stage. However, experimental results confirm that anoxic phosphorus release, leading to a high concentration of phosphorus flow into the aerobic stage, causes deficient phosphorus removal under a high organic loading condition. Moreover, a low PHAs content of sludge causes incomplete phosphorus removal; the phenomenon occurs when the process is under a low organic loading condition. Based on the results presented herein, we can conclude that the organic loading should be carefully controlled for phosphorus removal in the anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process.
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Research Article|
July 01 1998
Evaluation of phosphorus removal in anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic system - via polyhydroxyalkonoates measurements
S. H. Chuang;
S. H. Chuang
*Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Chungli 320, Taiwan
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C. F. Ouyang;
C. F. Ouyang
*Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Chungli 320, Taiwan
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H. C. Yuang;
H. C. Yuang
**Sewerage Engineering Department, Public Work Bureau, Municipal Government of Taipei, Taiwan
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S. J. You
S. J. You
*Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Chungli 320, Taiwan
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Water Sci Technol (1998) 38 (1): 107–114.
Citation
S. H. Chuang, C. F. Ouyang, H. C. Yuang, S. J. You; Evaluation of phosphorus removal in anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic system - via polyhydroxyalkonoates measurements. Water Sci Technol 1 July 1998; 38 (1): 107–114. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1998.0027
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