Abstract:
This objective of this research was to compare denitrification of the Integrated Fixed Film
Activated Sludge (IFAS) wastewater treatment systems integrated with the fixed film media of
Bioweb® in either anoxic or aerobic bioreactor. The experiments were conducted by using two pilotscale
biological wastewater treatment systems called Anaerobic/Oxic (A/O) operated with the sludge
ages of 9 and 6 days, respectively, and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 9 hours. The A/O systems
with the fixed film media in the anoxic and aerobic zones were called IFAS 1 and IFAS 2, respectively.
Both IFAS systems were fed with synthetic municipal wastewater containing the total organic matter
concentration of 800 mg COD/L and total nitrogen concentration of 60 mg N/L The experimental
results revealed that both IFAS systems could achieve the organic matters and ammonium nitrogen
removal efficiencies of 95.2% and 100%, respectively. However, the nitrite accumulation was found in
the IFAS 1 system because the growth rate of Nitrobacter spp. was limited at relatively high operating
temperature of 28 ± 2 oC. In contrast, the IFAS with fixed film media installed in the aerobic tank could
complete nitrification without the significant accumulation of nitrite nitrogen as a result of
supplemented amount of Nitrobacter spp. in biofilm layer. The experimental results could also be
concluded that the integration of fixed film media in the anoxic zone did not enhance the denitrification
as compared to the IFAS system installed with the media in the aerobic zone. The biofilm layer
provided the denitrification in the aerobic zone. When the sludge age was reduced to 6 days, both IFAS
systems failed to achive the steady state conditons as a result of the growth of filamentous bacteria
causing sludge bulking in the final clarifiers. However, the IFAS 2 system provided better nitrification
than the IFAS 1, but could equally achive to remove the organic matters. In conclusion, the IFAS
system with media installed in the aerobic reactor provided better performances than the IFAS system
with fixed film media installed only in the anoxic zone.