Interactions Between Heterotrophic and Autotrophic Bacteria in Fixed-Film Biological Processes Used in Drinking Water Treatment

Biological nitrification in water treatment is largely used in Europe to remove ammonia before the final disinfection step. In order to simulate this process in the laboratory, a scaling procedure for biofilm processes was developed and evaluated. Experiments conducted with these laboratory-scale reactors simulating nitrification in water treatment showed that in addition to remove ammonia, biological treatment can be used to remove easily biodegradable organic compounds such as acetate, and some trace concentrations of common micropollutants, such as phenol, monochlorophenol and chlorinated benzenes. Whereas phenol and monochlorophenol are removed immediately, chlorinated benzenes are removed after an adaptation period attributed to the time required for enzyme inductions. The biodegradation of high-molecular-weight organic compounds was estimated by challenging the laboratory scale reactors with two proteins of similar molecular weight but opposite net charge and a polysaccharide. While the proteins were hydrolyzed and assimilated the biofilm, the polysaccharide was not hydrolyzed. These results demonstrated the presence of proteolytic enzymes and the absence of polysaccharadase in an unacclimated biofilm.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

1988

Author dc:creator

• Manem, Jacques

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rittmann, Bruce E.

• Environmental Sciences

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8908765

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/77332