Biological nutrient removal with volatile fatty acids from food wastes in sequencing batch reactor

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) derived from food waste were used as an alternative carbon source in biological nutrient removal. The pH Profiles were monitored during the nutrient removal in an Na-acetate fed sequencing batch reactor (SBR) (C source). Effluent N, P and SCOD concentrations of 0.5 and 0.1 mg/L were achieved with 5.5 hour of HRT (hydraulic retention time) when influent concentrations of NH4+-N, PO43- and SCOD were 42.5, 5.92 and 180 mg/L. Then the SBR was fed with four solutions of VFAs produced under different acidogenesis conditions of food wastes. VFAs-added SBR showed similar specific nitrification rates (3.0 to 3.9 mg-N/g MLSS.h) to that of acetate, but specific denitrification rates (3.2 to 4.2 mg NO3--N/g MLSS.h) were slightly lower than with acetate of 4.67 mg NO3--N/g MLSS.h. VEAs-introduced SBR efficiently removed phosphorus except when the SBR was fed with a VFA-solution containing high amounts of valerate and caproate.