Application of Vertical Reed Beds as a buffer for effluent from SBR ANAMMOX treatment for reject water from centrifugation

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to determine the removal efficiency of nitrogen compounds in the effluent from ANAMMOX process used to treat reject water after centrifugation. A pilot model was bulit consisting of four different Treatment Wetlands beds with different filter substrate and with or without macrophytes growth. Vertical subsurface flow type filters have been choosen thanks to their highest efficiency in NH4-N removal and better resistance to high fluctuations of influent composition. The pilot was feed with synthetic sewage prepaired on-site every day during the study. Samples have been taken for analysis to determine the changes of NH4-N, NO3-N and NO2-N in the effluent of each filter. In bed “0” the removal of nitrogen compounds was caused only by sorption and lasted till its capacity was reached. In bed “I” and “II” the NH4-N concentration in effluent and production of NO2-N with simultaneous changes of NO3-N indicated that nitrification was occurring. Furthermore assimilation by plants and sorption processes by substrate contributet to the removal of nitrogen compunds. The investigation reviles different pattern of processes responsible for N - compounds transformation and removal, depending on the bed substrate and vegetation or without vegetation