Our rivers and lakes are continuously self-purifying thanks to algal and bacterial biofilms that grow over the surface of stones and other debris. This same process has been employed for over a century to treat our municipal and industrial wastewater in specially designed fixed film reactors that maximize this microbial activity by providing ideal growth conditions and unlimited food and oxygen. Fixed film, or attached biofilm, reactors are unique in their ability to treat complex wastewaters and shock loadings; using far less energy than other wastewater treatment processes such as activated sludge, making them a sustainable treatment option.Targeted at undergraduate and postgraduate engineers and scientists, this book follows the structure of bestseller Biology of Wastewater Treatment. This volume gives an expanded and up-to-date overview of the use of fixed-film reactors in wastewater treatment with content spanning from biofilm formation, to traditional trickling filters and rotating biological contactor technology, advanced submerged systems (including MBBRs and IFAS) and their key role in the treatment of contaminated air, and finally to nitrogen removal employing new microbial pathways such as Anammox. This monograph emphasizes the biological aspects of the processes.

Our rivers and lakes are continuously self-purifying thanks to algal and bacterial biofilms that grow over the surface of stones and other debris. This same process has been employed for over a century to treat our municipal and industrial wastewater in specially designed fixed film reactors that maximize this microbial activity by providing ideal growth conditions and unlimited food and oxygen. Fixed film, or attached biofilm, reactors are unique in their ability to treat complex wastewaters and shock loadings; using far less energy than other wastewater treatment processes such as activated sludge, making them a sustainable treatment option.This new book, based on a chapter from the bestseller Biology of Wastewater Treatment, gives an expanded and up-to-date overview of the use of fixed film reactors in wastewater treatment. This volume's content spans from biofilm formation, through traditional trickling filters and rotating biological contactor technology, advanced submerged systems including MBBRs and IFAS, their key role in the treatment of contaminated air, and finally to nitrogen removal employing new microbial pathways such as Anammox. The monograph emphasizes the biological aspects of the processes that will also be of interest to engineers.The book is aimed equally at engineers and scientists at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level, who will find it accessible and easy to understand. It will also be a useful reference for practitioners.

The latest Methods for Wastewater Treatment Using Fixed-Film Processes This Water Environment Federation resource provides complete coverage of pure fixed-film and hybrid treatment systems, along with details on their design, performance, and operational issues. Biofilm Reactors discusses factors that affect the design of the various processes, appropriate design criteria and procedures, modeling techniques, equipment requirements, and construction methods. Operational issues associated with each type of process are presented, including potential problems and corrective actions. Real-world case studies illustrate the application of the technologies presented in this authoritative volume. Biofilm Reactors covers: Biology of fixed-film processes Trickling filter and combined trickling filter suspended-growth process design and operation Rotating biological contactors Moving-bed biofilm reactors Hybrid processes Biological filters New and emerging fixed-film technologies Clarification Effluent filtration Development and application of models for integrated fixed-film activated sludge, moving-bed reactors, biological aerated filters, and trickling filters

The central theme of the book is the flow of information from experimental approaches in biofilm research to simulation and modeling of complex wastewater systems. Probably the greatest challenge in wastewater research lies in using the methods and the results obtained in one scientific discipline to design intelligent experiments in other disciplines, and eventually to improve the knowledge base the practitioner needs to run wastewater treatment plants. The purpose of Biofilms in Wastewater Treatment is to provide engineers with the knowledge needed to apply the new insights gained by researchers. The authors provide an authoritative insight into the function of biofilms on a technical and on a lab-scale, cover some of the exciting new basic microbiological and wastewater engineering research involving molecular biology techniques and microscopy, and discuss recent attempts to predict the development of biofilms. This book is divided into 3 sections: Modeling and Simulation; Architecture, Population Structure and Function; and From Fundamentals to Practical Application, which all start with a scientific question. Individual chapters attempt to answer the question and present different angles of looking at problems. In addition there is an extensive glossary to familiarize the non-expert with unfamiliar terminology used by microbiologists and computational scientists. The colour plate section of this book can be downloaded by clicking here. (PDF Format 1 MB)

Activated Sludge and Aerobic Biofilm Reactors is the fifth volume in the series Biological Wastewater Treatment. The first part of the book is devoted to the activated sludge process, covering the removal of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus.A detailed analysis of the biological reactor (aeration tank) and the final sedimentation tanks is provided. The second part of the book covers aerobic biofilm reactors, especially trickling filters, rotating biological contractors and submerged aerated biofilters. For all the systems, the book presents in a clear and informative way the main concepts, working principles, expected removal efficiencies, design criteria, design examples, construction aspects and operational guidelines. About the series: The series is based on a highly acclaimed set of best selling textbooks. This international version is comprised by six textbooks giving a state-of-the-art presentation of the science and technology of biological wastewater treatment. Other titles in the series are: Volume 1: Waste Stabilisation Ponds; Volume 2: Basic Principles of Wastewater Treatment; Volume 3: Waste Stabilization Ponds; Volume 4: Anaerobic Reactors; Volume 6: Sludge Treatment and Disposal

This book has been produced to give a total overview of the Activated Sludge Model (ASM) family at the start of 2000 and to give the reader easy access to the different models in their original versions. It thus presents ASM1, ASM2, ASM2d and ASM3 together for the first time. Modelling of activated sludge processes has become a common part of the design and operation of wastewater treatment plants. Today models are being used in design, control, teaching and research. Contents ASM3: Introduction, Comparison of ASM1 and ASM3, ASM3: Definition of compounds in the model, ASM3: Definition of processes in the Model, ASM3: Stoichiometry, ASM3: Kinetics, Limitations of ASM3, Aspects of application of ASM3, ASM3C: A Carbon based model, Conclusion ASM 2d: Introduction, Conceptual Approach, ASM 2d, Typical Wastewater Characteristics and Kinetic and Stoichiometric Constants, Limitations, Conclusion ASM 2: Introduction, ASM 2, Typical Wastewater Characteristics and Kinetic and Stoichiometric Constants, Wastewater Characterization for Activated Sludge Processes, Calibration of the ASM 2, Model Limitations, Conclusion, Bibliography ASM 1: Introduction, Method of Model Presentation, Model Incorporating Carbon Oxidation Nitrification and Denitrification, Characterization of Wastewater and Estimation of Parameter Values, Typical Parameter Ranges, Default Values, and Effects of Environmental Factors, Assumptions, Restrictions and Constraints, Implementation of the Activated Sludge Model Scientific and Technical Report No.9