Sequencing batch reactor systems for the treatment of wastewater

Abstract

Releasing untreated or inadequately treated effluents into recipients (rivers, lakes, and oceans) can endanger aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources. In order to eliminate harmful pollutants, wastewater must be treated, especially industrial wastewater enriched with nutrients. Phosphorus contamination can occur through a variety of different routes, such as wastewater treatment plant discharge (municipal and industrial), agricultural fertilizer losses from erosion, drainage, etc. The establishment of suitable wastewater treatment techniques is essential. The subject of this paper is the biological removal of nutrients (phosphorus) from wastewater, using unconventional methods of wastewater treatment - sequencing batch reactors (SBR) systems. Their modifications and the advantages such processes offer, compared to the standard activated sludge (AS) treatment that is the most often used, will be presented. Enhanced biological phosphorus removal methods that employ various microorganisms have been observed from the perspective of the method's effectiveness. Of all applied treatments for phosphorus removal, the most effective and the most often used was the accumulation of polyphosphates in the biomass itself. The purpose of this paper is to offer a brief review and theoretical essentials of environmental engineering techniques that can be applied in real industrial wastewater treatment plants.