Micro-Polluted Surface Water Treated by Yeast-Chitosan Bio-Microcapsules.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Surface water quality is degraded by ammonia nitrogen and natural organic matter (NOM).
• Micro-polluted surface water requires effective treatment methods for safe use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize the preparation of yeast-chitosan bio-microcapsules using Candida tropicalis.
• To evaluate the engineering applications and treatment efficiency of these bio-microcapsules for micro-polluted raw water.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of bio-microcapsules using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
• Laboratory-scale continuous reaction apparatus to assess treatment efficiency.
• Evaluation of pollutant removal, impact load resistance, and performance at low temperatures.

Main Results:

• Yeast-chitosan bio-microcapsules rapidly and effectively removed suspended solids and ammonia nitrogen.
• The process demonstrated resistance to impact loads and water quality fluctuations.
• Ammonia nitrogen removal reached 79% at 12 °C without increasing nitrite or nitrogen accumulation.

Conclusions:

• Yeast-chitosan bio-microcapsules are a promising technology for micro-polluted surface water treatment.
• The application is simple, requiring only aeration and nutrient substrates.
• This method shows potential for engineering applications in raw drinking water treatment.