A study on the use of the BioBall® as a biofilm carrier in a sequencing batch reactor

Described in this study are experiments conducted to evaluate the removal of organics and nutrients from synthetic wastewater by a moving bed sequencing batch biofilm reactor using BioBall (R) carriers as biofilm media. The work involving a 15 L-laboratory scale MBSBBR (moving bed sequencing batch biofilm reactor) model showed that the wastewater treatment system was based on biochemical processes taking place with activated sludge and biofilm microorganisms developing on the surface of the BioBall (R) carriers. Classical nitrification and denitrification and the typical enhanced biological phosphorus removal process were achieved in the reactor analyzed, which operated with a volumetric organic loading of 0.84-0.978 g COD L-1 d(-1). The average removal efficiencies for COD, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were found to be 97.7 +/- 0.5%, 87.8 +/- 2.6% and 94.3 +/- 1.3%, respectively. Nitrification efficiency reached levels in the range 96.5-99.7%. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.