Abstract
The objective of this study was to set-up a pilot plant and to evaluate its effectiveness for biological nitrogen and organic matter removal from tannery wastewater in Ethiopia. A pilot wastewater treatment plant consisting of a predenitrification-nitrification process was constructed and operated for 6 months. This was fed with a raw tannery wastewater obtained from the Modjo Tannery located 70 km south of the capital, Addis Ababa. Up to 98% total nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand, and 95% ammonium nitrogen removal efficiencies were achieved in the system. The average effluent ammonium nitrogen ranged from 8.4 mg l−1 to 86.0 mg l−1, whereas the average effluent for nitrate nitrogen ranged from 2.9 mg l−1 to 4.4 mg l−1. The average values of denitrification and nitrification rates determined by nitrate and ammonium uptake rates (NUR and AUR) were 8.0 mg NO3-N [g volatile suspended solids (VSS)]−1 h−1 and 5.4 mg NH4-N (g VSS)−1 h−1, respectively, demonstrating that the treatment processes of the pilot plant were effective. Further studies of the effect of chromium III on AUR showed 50% inhibition at a concentration of 85 mg l−1, indicating that this metal was not causing process inhibition during performance operations. Thus, the predenitrification-nitrification process was found to be efficient for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and organic substrates from tannery wastewaters.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida/SAREC) through the East African Regional Programme and Research Network for Biotechnology, Biosafety and Biotechnology Policy Development (BIOEARN). The excellent technical and material support of Mr. Zeleke Teferi at the Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority is highly acknowledged. Modjo and Ethiopia Tanneries deserve special thanks for their consistent support and permission to use the tannery wastewaters for this study.
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Leta, S., Assefa, F., Gumaelius, L. et al. Biological nitrogen and organic matter removal from tannery wastewater in pilot plant operations in Ethiopia. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 66, 333–339 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1715-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1715-2