Biofilm and immobilized cell technologies: treatment of canadian wastewaters using advanced treatment systems

废水处理厂对加拿大天然水的急性毒性影响最常见的是由高浓度氨的释放引起的。因此，在2010年加拿大联邦政府提出的国家污水质量标准中，氨被列入受管制污染物清单。在加拿大的自然水域中，氨的浓度很高，因为它在低温下无法在传统的污水处理厂中进行生物去除。本研究项目致力于优化一种有前途的先进处理技术的性能，该技术能够全年去除加拿大废水中的氨。在加拿大的处理条件下，研究温度、生物载体类型和流体动力学对移动床生物反应器（MBBR）处理系统性能的影响。此外，拟议的研究计划将使用最先进的分子和微观技术来表征操作参数和生物膜形态、生物量生态和生物量分布之间的相互作用。生物膜和生物量将直接在生物载体上进行分析，采用新颖的方案，最大限度地减少质量损失并保留原位视角。该研究计划包括三个阶段：(i)表征低温和暴露时间对MBBR生物膜、生物量和硝化动力学的影响；（ii）表征固定膜和封装生物载体对低温下MBBR系统中生物膜、生物量和硝化动力学的影响；（iii）表征低温条件下水动力对MBBR系统中生物膜、生物量和硝化动力学的影响。预计研究结果将为工程师和从业人员提供设计和操作指南。研究项目的学生将对环境工程有深入的了解，他们将获得先进的分析技能，并将在设计和操作先进的废水处理系统方面产生专业知识，这对加拿大和世界环境工程的未来具有重要意义。

Acute toxicity effects on Canadian natural waters from wastewater treatment plants are most commonly caused by the release of high concentrations of ammonia. Ammonia has consequently been included in the list of regulated pollutants in the 2010 Federal Government of Canada proposed national effluent quality standards. Ammonia is released in high concentrations in Canadian natural waters because it resists biological removal in conventional wastewater treatment plants at cold temperatures. This research program endeavours to optimize the performance of a promising advanced treatment technology capable of year-round ammonia removal in Canadian wastewaters. The effects of temperature, bio-carrier type and hydrodynamics on the performance of the cost efficient moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) treatment system will be investigated under Canadian treatment conditions. Furthermore, the proposed research program will use state-of-the-art molecular and microscopic techniques to characterize the interactions of operational parameters and biofilm morphology, ecology of biomass and the distribution of the biomass. The biofilm and biomass will be analyzed directly on the bio-carriers using novel protocols that minimize loss of mass and preserve in-situ perspectives. The research program is comprised of three phases: (i) characterize the effects of cold temperature and exposure time on biofilm, biomass and the kinetics of nitrification in MBBR; (ii) characterize fixed film and encapsulated bio-carrier effects on biofilm, biomass and the kinetics of nitrification in MBBR systems at cold temperatures; and (iii) characterize hydrodynamic effects on biofilm, biomass and the kinetics of nitrification in MBBR systems at cold temperatures. The results are anticipated to provide both design and operational guidelines for engineers and practitioners. The students working on the proposed research will generate a strong fundamental understanding of environmental engineering, they will acquire advanced analytical skills and they will generate expertise in the design and operation of advanced wastewater treatment systems that are of key significance to the future of environmental engineering in Canada and the world.