0000000000422144
AUTHOR
Rafael Borja
BIOALGA reactor: preliminary studies for heavy metals removal
Abstract Microalgae have a high affinity for polyvalent metals, for that reason they could be used to reduce the concentration of heavy metals present in water and wastewater. In the present work an evaluation of a rotary biofilm reactor for algae immobilization (BIOALGA) with the subject of heavy metal removal was investigated. The BIOALGA reactor consisted of a pilot scale model that was operated with synthetic wastewater with an initial concentration of 3000 μg/l of cobalt ion. Scenedesmus obliquus was immobilized in the reactor, which was operated in batch mode for a period of 20 days. The rotary velocity used, 2 rpm, was constant during the experiment. A maximum removal of cobalt ion o…
An interlaboratory study as useful tool for proficiency testing of chemical oxygen demand measurements using solid substrates and liquid samples with high suspended solid content
In 2008, the first Proficiency Testing Scheme of Chemical Oxygen Demand (1stCOD-PTADG) was conducted to assess the results obtained for different research groups whose field work is mainly anaerobic digestion. This study was performed using four samples, two solid samples as raw materials and two solid samples to prepare high concentration suspended solid solutions. Invitations were sent to a large number of laboratories, mainly to anaerobic digestion research groups. Finally, thirty labs from sixteen countries agreed to participate, but for different reasons four participants could not send any data. In total, twenty-six results were reported to the COD-PT coordinator. This study showed th…
Biochemical methane potential (BMP) of solid organic substrates: evaluation of anaerobic biodegradability using data from an international interlaboratory study
Background: This paper describes results obtained for different participating research groups in an interlaboratory study related to biochemical methane potential (BMP). In this research work, all experimental conditions influencing the test such as inoculum, substrate characteristics and experimental conditions were investigated. The study was performed using four substrates: three positive control substrates (starch, cellulose and gelatine), and one raw biomass material (mung bean) at two different inoculum to substrate ratios (ISR). Results: The average methane yields for starch, cellulose, gelatine and mung bean at ISR of 2 and 1 were 350 ± 33, 350 ± 29, 380 ± 42, 370 ± 36 and 370 ± 35 …
Population Dynamic of Algae and Bacteria in an Oxidation Channel
A study on algae and bacteria population changes, as a function of time, was carried out in a pilot scale oxidation channel bioreactor using a carrousel system. Total Coliforms, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus faecalis, the most common bacteria found in sewage, Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorella vulgaris were the microalgae considered in this work. Physicochemical parameters such as COD, BOD, Chlorophyll a, nitrogen, and phosphorous compounds were studied and determined during the experiments. It was demonstrated that the level of wastewater contamination could be predicted based on the bacterial and algae composition. The relationships between the algae and bacteria population, a…