Enhancement of nitrification efficiency during sludge bulking by magnetic field under long sludge retention time

Nur Syamimi Zaidi, Khalida Muda, Johan Sohaili, Liew Wai Loan, Mika Sillanpää

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to investigate the potential of magnetic field application as an alternative approach for controlling sludge bulking due to long sludge retention time (SRT) while enhancing nitrification efficiency upon the occurrence. Two sequencing batch reactors, reactor A (SBRA, magnetic field intensity 88.0 mT) and reactor B (SBRB, control) were operated under long SRT to induce the growth of filamentous microorganisms. The effect of magnetic field on nitrification, viz. ammonia–nitrogen (NH4–N) and nitrite removal, as well as biomass properties were studied under the sludge bulking condition. Results indicated that nitrification efficiency of SBRA was consistently higher with 90% NH4–N removal and 74–81% nitrite removal, which could be credited to the enhanced biomass properties of activated sludge due to the induced magnetic field. Metabolism activity and biodegradability of aerobic bacteria were also enhanced through the application of magnetic field, even under long SRT condition. This was evidenced by the average oxygen uptake rate (OUR) in SBRA that was higher with 11.7 ± 1.2 mg/L·h compared to SBRB with 9.5 ± 0.4 mg/L·h. Occurrence of filamentous sludge bulking was likewise minimized.

Original languageEnglish
Article number408
Journal3 Biotech
Volume10
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Magnetic field
  • Nitrification
  • Sludge bulking
  • Sludge retention time

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
  • Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)

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