The effect of physicochemical properties of sugar industry wastes on activity of activated sludge and efficiency of nitrogen compound removal

Biological methods have always played an important role in sludge treatment technology. Biological treatment may be conducted in various ways, in many cases as activated sludge method. Currently the processes and factors affecting efficient elimination of pollutants from municipal wastes have been relatively well identified. On the other hand the situation is different for industrial sludges. Efficiency of industrial sludge treatment plant depends mainly on physicochemical properties of sludge inflowing from individual enterprises. The work aimed at identification of sugar industry waste composition in view of its susceptibility to the processes of biological treatment, mainly removal of nitrogen compounds. The subject research was conducted in a laboratory model of bioreactor composed of an anoxic chamber where the denitrification process was conducted and aerated tank with a built-in secondary settlement tank in which nitrification process was taking place. Analyzed were sugar-mill wastes supplied from a factory and sewage treated in the analyzed model. Conditions in both chambers of the model treatment plant were monitored during the investigations. Activity of the activated sludge and the course of nitrification and denitrification processes were determined using OUR, AUR and NUR tests. The analyses have revealed that sugar wastes composition is variable in time and ...