Efficiency of a hybrid solid digestion-denitrification column in suspended solid and nitrate removal from recirculating aquaculture system

Abstract

This research focused on the solid and nitrate removal efficiency in a solid digestion-denitrification column. The 20 L up-flow column consisted of 18 L acrylic column with 2 L down-comer inlet tube located in the middle. In the first part, the wastewater with high suspended solids from the Tilapia fish tank was applied into the sedimentation unit at 5 variable flow rates i.e., 11.25, 25.71, 60, 105.88 and 360 L/h. The results indicated that the flow rate of 11.25 L/h (0.57 m/h) gave the highest solid removal efficiency of 72.72% ± 8.24%. However, the total suspended solids removal was highest at 360 L/h (18.13 m/h). In the second part, methanol was added as an external organic carbon source for denitrification process in a hybrid column containing settled solids. The COD:N ratios of 0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1 and 6:1 were investigated and compared with control without methanol addition. This experiment was operated at the HRT of 1 h with 450 L wastewater from recirculating aquaculture pond containing 100 mg-N/L sodium nitrate. The results indicated that the COD:N ratio of 3:1 gave the highest nitrate removal efficiency of 33.32%± 21.18% with the denitrification rate of 5,102.88 mg-N/day.