Development of an annamox process for mining effluents

以臭氧氧化为预处理的部分硝化/厌氧氨氧化技术的发展是NSERC联盟任务资助的为期两年的项目提案的主要目标。该工艺使用了一种特殊的BioCAST生物反应器，由于成本、能耗和固体废物的产生显著降低，它是一种潜在可行的从魁北克金矿废水中去除氨氮的方法。氮和其他成分的高污染以及高盐度对采矿公司来说尤其成问题。主要目标是：(1)研究PN/Anammox工艺在同时去除金矿中氮基污染物方面的潜在应用；(2)评估臭氧微泡预处理；(3)培训矿山水管理方面的高素质人才（HQP）；(4)加强采矿和水行业与学术界之间的合作，以实现氮去除工艺的采用。该项目是Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., Concordia， UQAT和BioCAST Systems之间的合作项目，旨在培训HQP（本科，硕士和博士后水平），以供未来在采矿业就业。该项目包括以下阶段的中试规模：(i)污水的特性；（ii）微气泡臭氧化预处理的评价；（iii）评估基于PN/厌氧氨氧化的处理系统；（iv）对预处理与生物处理系统相结合的评价，确定影响所开发的处理系统性能和运行的重要因素；(v)对该工艺培训进行技术、环境、社会和经济评估，以便将其纳入公司现有的活跃金矿的废水处理中。水处理系统将使矿业公司能够减少业务费用以及能源和污泥需求，提高水再利用的潜力，保护环境，并能够改进其环境做法和公众形象。这些研究方向将有助于并促进一种综合方法，以了解加拿大和国际上的水-能源关系。

The development of partial nitrification (PN)/Anammox-based technology with ozonation as a pre-treatment is the main objective for this two-year project proposal for a NSERC Alliance Mission grant. The process uses a special BioCAST bioreactor that is a potentially viable ammonia nitrogen removal from gold mine wastewater in Quebec due to significantly lower costs, energy consumption and solid waste generation. High levels of contamination with nitrogen and other components and high salinity are particularly problematic for mining companies. The main objectives are to: (1) investigate the potential application of PN/Anammox process for simultaneous removal of nitrogen-based contaminants from gold mine, (2) evaluate pre-treatment using ozone microbubbles, (3) train highly qualified personnel (HQP) in mine water management and (4) strengthen the collaboration between the mining and water industries and academia to enable adoption of the nitrogen removal processes. The project is a collaboration between Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., Concordia, UQAT and BioCAST Systems for the training of HQP (undergraduate, Masters, and post-doctoral levels) for future employment in the mining industry. The project includes the following phases at pilot scale: (i) Characterization of the wastewater effluents; (ii) evaluation of an ozonation pre-treatment with microbubbles; (iii) evaluation an PN/Anammox-based treatment system; (iv) evaluation of a combined pretreatment with the biological treatment system dentification of important factors influencing the performance and operation of the developed treatment system, and (v) technical, environmental, social and economic assessment of this process train for its incorporating into the company existing wastewater treatment at active gold mine sites. The water treatment systems will enable the mining companies to reduce operating costs as well as energy and sludge requirements, improve the potential for water reuse, protect the environment and enable the improvement of their environmental practices and their public image. These research orientations will contribute and foster an integrated approach for understanding the water-energy nexus in Canada and internationally.