Title

Contrast of Volatile Fatty Acid Driven and Inorganic Acid or Base Driven Phosphorus Release and Uptake in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal

Authors

Authors

A. A. Randall

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Water Environ. Res.

Keywords

pH; phosphorus; wastewater; volatile fatty acids (VFAs); propionic acid; INITIAL PH CONTROL; ACCUMULATING ORGANISMS; BIOMASS; MODEL; Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences; Limnology; Water; Resources

Abstract

Addition of an inorganic acid or base was detrimental to net phosphorus removals in short-term batch experiments, suggesting there might be system upset when pH changes. In contrast, addition of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) increased anaerobic phosphorus release and aerobic phosphorus uptake while maintaining or improving net phosphorus removals. The effect of pH change differed if the acid or base added was inorganic versus organic. Volatile fatty acids that resulted in poly-3-hydroxy-butyrate rather than poly-3-hydroxy-valerate resulted in greater net phosphorus removals, and this corresponded to differences in consumption of reducing equivalents. Acetic acid resulted in improved net phosphorus removal compared to sodium acetate, suggesting that acid forms of VFAs might be superior as supplemental VFAs. It is hypothesized that anaerobic phosphorus release following addition of inorganic acid is primarily a result of phosphorus and proton (H+) symport (excretion from the cell) for pH homeostasis, whereas addition of VFAs results in phosphorus and H+ release to maintain the proton motive force. Water Environ. Res., 84, 305 (2012).

Journal Title

Water Environment Research

Volume

84

Issue/Number

4

Publication Date

1-1-2012

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

305

Last Page

312

WOS Identifier

WOS:000305467100003

ISSN

1061-4303

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