Bioremediation of Nutrients from Municipal Wastewater Using Algal-Bacterial Photobioreactor: Real Field Scale Demonstration for Improving Effluent Quality

In this research, the removal performances and efficiency of nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) and organic pollutants were investigated through the application of sustainable and cost-effective strategy in wastewater treatment using algal-bacterial symbiotic association. A photobioreactor of 200 L was designed, constructed and operated in the field as part of the wastewater treatment plant of Palestine Technical University. The photobioreactor was fed with real pre-treated domestic wastewater. Treatment efficiency, interactions between physico-chemical factors, biomass production and the performance of the system as tertiary treatment for removing nutrients and organic matter was evaluated in order to improve the treated wastewater quality. The obtained results demonstrated the efficiency of the system in removing the targeted pollutants as a result of the synergistic relationship between algal and bacterial cultures within the reactor. The system was able to adapt with the surrounding field environment, and have an algal-bacterial cultures capable of removing the targeted pollutants. A stabilized biomass concentration of 0.70 (absorbance at 320 nm) and dissolved oxygen (9.5 mg/L) were found to be in the reactor during daylight. Initial ammonium concentrations were found to be around 57 ± 2 mg-N/L and decreased to 25 mg-N/L, indicating a removal efficiency of about 55%, meanwhile 70% of the COD and 91% of the phosphorus were removed during the experiment. These results are considered promising under real field conditions. However more deep investigation still needed to understand the impact and interaction of different factors on the entire process behavior.