This study explored a sulfur cycle-associated biological phosphorus (P) removal process in a covered and non-aerated sequencing batch reactor (SBR) fed with volatile fatty acid (VFA) and sulfate separately. During the 60-day start-up, both phosphate release and uptake rates increased, while poly-phosphate cyclically increased and decreased accordingly. The P-release and P-uptake rates were associated with VFA uptake and sulfate reduction. The average ratio of potassium to phosphate during the P-uptake and P-release was also determined to be 0.29–0.31 mol K/mol P, which is close to a reported value (0.33) for biological phosphorus removal. All this evidence confirmed there was biological P removal in this reactor, in which metabolism could be different from conventional biological P removal.
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Research Article|
March 01 2012
Phosphorus release and uptake during start-up of a covered and non-aerated sequencing batch reactor with separate feeding of VFA and sulfate
D. Wu;
D. Wu
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
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T. Hao;
T. Hao
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
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H. Lu;
H. Lu
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
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H. K. Chui;
H. K. Chui
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
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M. C. M. van Loosdrecht;
M. C. M. van Loosdrecht
2Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC Delft, The Netherlands and KWR Watercycle Research, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
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G. H. Chen
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
E-mail: ceghchen@ust.hk
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Water Sci Technol (2012) 65 (5): 840–844.
Article history
Received:
May 10 2011
Accepted:
August 30 2011
Citation
D. Wu, T. Hao, H. Lu, H. K. Chui, M. C. M. van Loosdrecht, G. H. Chen; Phosphorus release and uptake during start-up of a covered and non-aerated sequencing batch reactor with separate feeding of VFA and sulfate. Water Sci Technol 1 March 2012; 65 (5): 840–844. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2012.841
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