Elimination of nitrogen present in swine manure using a high-efficiency biotrickling filter

Experiments were performed to remove nitrogen as ammonium in biotrickling filters (BTFs) treating synthetic swine manure. Two BTFs packed with polypropylene spheres and ceramic beads were used. BTFs were continuously fed, and leachate obtained was recirculated at different flow rates in the range from 0 to 1.5 L min(-1). When increasing the recirculation flow rate, the carbon dioxide (CO2) production rate increased from 16.5 to 25.6 g CO2 m(-3) h(-1) and nitrogen elimination decreased from 99% to 86% for the polypropylene spheres, whereas for the ceramic beads the CO2 production rate decreased from 20.3 to 15.0 g CO2 m(-3) h(-1) and nitrogen removal from 99% to 90%. The increase of recirculation flow rates also promoted the production of nitrite (NO2(-)) in the leachate. For both packing types, when increasing nitrogen loads from 60 to 240 g N m(-3) day(-1) without recirculation of leachate, the BTFs achieved nitrogen removals of more than 99%. For the same nitrogen loads, nitrogen removal increased from 90% to 99% for the BTF packed with ceramic beads at a recirculation flow rate of 0.6 L min(-1). Operating the BTFs with continuous purge was optimal for biomass production with a maximum level of 71.0 g m(-3) day(-1).