New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological Aspects
Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) comprises an aggregation of microbial cells in a tridimensional matrix, which is able to remove carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous as well as other pollutants in a single bioreactor under the same operational conditions. During the past decades, the feasibility of impleme...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/13/1792 |
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| author | Aurora Rosa-Masegosa Barbara Muñoz-Palazon Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez Massimiliano Fenice Susanna Gorrasi Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez |
| author_facet | Aurora Rosa-Masegosa Barbara Muñoz-Palazon Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez Massimiliano Fenice Susanna Gorrasi Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez |
| author_sort | Aurora Rosa-Masegosa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) comprises an aggregation of microbial cells in a tridimensional matrix, which is able to remove carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous as well as other pollutants in a single bioreactor under the same operational conditions. During the past decades, the feasibility of implementing AGS in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for treating sewage using fundamentally sequential batch reactors (SBRs) has been studied. However, granular sludge technology using SBRs has several disadvantages. For instance, it can present certain drawbacks for the treatment of high flow rates; furthermore, the quantity of retained biomass is limited by volume exchange. Therefore, the development of continuous flow reactors (CFRs) has come to be regarded as a more competitive option. This is why numerous investigations have been undertaken in recent years in search of different designs of CFR systems that would enable the effective treatment of urban and industrial wastewater, keeping the stability of granular biomass. However, despite these efforts, satisfactory results have yet to be achieved. Consequently, it remains necessary to carry out new technical approaches that would provide more effective and efficient AGS-CFR systems. In particular, it is imperative to develop continuous flow granular systems that can both retain granular biomass and efficiently treat wastewater, obviously with low construction, maintenance and exploitation cost. In this review, we collect the most recent information on different technological approaches aimed at establishing AGS-CFR systems, making possible their upscaling to real plant conditions. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these proposals and suggest future trends in the application of aerobic granular systems. Accordingly, we analyze the most significant technical and biological implications of this innovative technology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:58:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-84ed0e0da9f940e69b3be2462d40f25b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:58:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-84ed0e0da9f940e69b3be2462d40f25b2023-11-22T02:07:38ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-06-011313179210.3390/w13131792New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological AspectsAurora Rosa-Masegosa0Barbara Muñoz-Palazon1Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez2Massimiliano Fenice3Susanna Gorrasi4Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez5Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071 Granada, SpainFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071 Granada, SpainFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071 Granada, SpainDipartimento di Ecologia e Biologia, Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, ItalyDipartimento di Ecologia e Biologia, Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, ItalyFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071 Granada, SpainAerobic granular sludge (AGS) comprises an aggregation of microbial cells in a tridimensional matrix, which is able to remove carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous as well as other pollutants in a single bioreactor under the same operational conditions. During the past decades, the feasibility of implementing AGS in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for treating sewage using fundamentally sequential batch reactors (SBRs) has been studied. However, granular sludge technology using SBRs has several disadvantages. For instance, it can present certain drawbacks for the treatment of high flow rates; furthermore, the quantity of retained biomass is limited by volume exchange. Therefore, the development of continuous flow reactors (CFRs) has come to be regarded as a more competitive option. This is why numerous investigations have been undertaken in recent years in search of different designs of CFR systems that would enable the effective treatment of urban and industrial wastewater, keeping the stability of granular biomass. However, despite these efforts, satisfactory results have yet to be achieved. Consequently, it remains necessary to carry out new technical approaches that would provide more effective and efficient AGS-CFR systems. In particular, it is imperative to develop continuous flow granular systems that can both retain granular biomass and efficiently treat wastewater, obviously with low construction, maintenance and exploitation cost. In this review, we collect the most recent information on different technological approaches aimed at establishing AGS-CFR systems, making possible their upscaling to real plant conditions. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these proposals and suggest future trends in the application of aerobic granular systems. Accordingly, we analyze the most significant technical and biological implications of this innovative technology.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/13/1792aerobic granular sludgecontinuous flow reactorgranular stabilitymicrobial communityreactor design |
| spellingShingle | Aurora Rosa-Masegosa Barbara Muñoz-Palazon Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez Massimiliano Fenice Susanna Gorrasi Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological Aspects Water aerobic granular sludge continuous flow reactor granular stability microbial community reactor design |
| title | New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological Aspects |
| title_full | New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological Aspects |
| title_fullStr | New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological Aspects |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological Aspects |
| title_short | New Advances in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology Using Continuous Flow Reactors: Engineering and Microbiological Aspects |
| title_sort | new advances in aerobic granular sludge technology using continuous flow reactors engineering and microbiological aspects |
| topic | aerobic granular sludge continuous flow reactor granular stability microbial community reactor design |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/13/1792 |
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