Simultaneous sludge minimization, pollutant and nitrogen removal using integrated MBBR configuration for tannery...

An advanced operational configuration of anoxic-aerobic moving bed biofilm reactors (AMOMOX process) was experimentally demonstrated to achieve simultaneous sludge yield minimization, pollution and nitrogen removal. The AMOMOX experimentation witnessed considerable variation in process parameters while feed operation changed from synthetic wastewater to real tannery influent. The strict maintenance of operational strategies resulted prominent removal of TCOD, SCOD, ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen higher upto 93.5%, 94.8%, 95.2% and 88.7% respectively. The nourishment of filamentous microbiota and purposeful promotion of cell-lysis effectively sustained sludge yield restriction. Here, the sludge yield (Y_obs) lowering upto 0.51 gVSS/gCOD ultimately turned an overall sludge minimization of 46.8% compared with a parallel-run conventional activated sludge treatment. The observations were further supported by sophisticated instrumental imaging, thermogravimetric analysis and batch digestion test of the sludge pool. The experimental Y_obs and corresponding solids retention showed consensus with the reported correlation model and, thus, a modified correlation was tested.