Study on the preparation and feasibility of a novel adding-type biological slow-release carbon source

The development of slow-release carbon sources is an effective biological treatment to remove nutrients from wastewater with low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N). Most filling-type slow-release carbon could not fulfil the needs of current wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) process. And most adding-type slow-release carbon sources were prepared using some expensive chemical materials. In this study, combining the advantages of the aforementioned types, a novel adding-type wastepaper-flora (AT-WF) slow-release carbon source was proposed, aiming to realise wastepaper recycling in WWTPs. The screening and identification of the mixed flora, AT-WF carbon source release behaviour, and denitrification performance were investigated. The results showed that through the proposed screening method, a considerable proportion of cellulose-degradation-related genera was enriched, and the cellulose degradation ability and ratio of readily available carbon sources of flora T4, S4 and S5 were effectively strengthened. AT-WF had significant carbon release ability and stability, with an average total organic carbon (TOC) release of 8.82 ± 2.36 mg/g. Kinetic analysis showed that the entire carbon release process was more consistent with the first-order equation. Piecewise fitting with the Ritger-Peppas equation exhibited that the rapid-release (RR) stage was skeleton dissolution and the slow-release (SR) stage was Fick diffusion. Denitrification efficiency can achieve a high average removal efficiency of 94.17%, which could theoretically contribute 11.2% more to the total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal. Thus, this study indicated that AT-WF could be utilised as an alternative carbon source in WWTPs.