Chapter 4: Application of microbiology
in environmental engineering
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Environmental Microbiology (EnEg2102// By : Dr. Tsedekech G/mesekel// Year:2025/26
Outline
Application of microbiology in environmental engineering
Degradation of pollutants
Solid waste management
Water and wastewater treatment
Drinking water production
Air pollution control
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Water and Wastewater treatment
Nitrate removal with (modifications on activated sludge process)
Nitrate removal can be achieved by modifying the activated sludge process
through the addition of specific treatment steps or altering the operational
parameters.
1. Denitrification:
Denitrification is a biological process that converts nitrate (NO3-) to
nitrogen gas (N2) under anoxic (low oxygen) conditions.
By creating an anoxic environment within the treatment system, denitrifying
bacteria can use nitrate as an electron acceptor, reducing it to nitrogen gas.
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Water and Wastewater treatment
This process typically requires the addition of an external carbon
source, such as methanol or acetate, to provide the necessary organic
material for denitrification.
An additional treatment tank or zone can be introduced after the
aeration tank, operate under anoxic conditions.
Intermittent Aeration: Modifying the aeration cycle by implementing
intermittent aeration can promote nitrate removal.
By periodically reducing or stopping the aeration, the oxygen supply to
the system is limited, creating an anoxic environment.
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Water and Wastewater treatment
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Water and Wastewater treatment
Enhanced biological phosphate removal (EBPR)
The key principle of EBPR is to create an environment within the
activated sludge process that promotes the growth of specific bacteria
known as polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs).
These PAOs have the ability to take up and store phosphorus within
their cells, facilitating its removal from the wastewater.
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Water and Wastewater treatment
General steps involved in the EBPR process:
1. Anaerobic Zone: To promotes the release of phosphorus from
the biomass in the form of orthophosphate.
PAOs are being prepared for their work in the subsequent
aerobic phase.
2. Aerobic Zone: After the anaerobic zone, the wastewater is
directed to an aerobic zone where the activated sludge process
continues.
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Water and Wastewater treatment
This support the growth of aerobic bacteria responsible for organic
matter removal.
The released orthophosphate from the anaerobic zone acts as a substrate
for the PAOs.
PAOs assimilate phosphorus and store it as intracellular polyphosphate.
PAOs are able to store more phosphate under aerobic conditions than
was released under anaerobic conditions
Considerably more energy is produced by aerobic oxidation of the
stored carbon compounds than was used to store them under
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anaerobic conditions.
Water and Wastewater treatment
3. Settling and Sludge Separation: In settling tank, the solids settle to
the bottom, forming a sludge, while the clarified effluent is separated
from the biomass.
5. Sludge Return and Wasting: A portion of the settled biomass is
recycled back to the anaerobic zone.
This ensures the introduction of PAOs into the anaerobic and anoxic phases,
sustaining the EBPR process.
Excess sludge is periodically removed from the system to maintain the proper
sludge balance.
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Water and Wastewater treatment
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Water and Wastewater treatment
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4. Drinking water production
Oxidation of ammonia (nitrification) followed filtration
Row water contains high concentration of ammonia.
is an important process in drinking water production to remove
ammonia and convert it to nitrate.
During nitrification, ammonia is first oxidized to nitrite (NO2-) by
Nitrosomonas bacteria. Nitrite is further oxidized to nitrate (NO3-) by
Nitrobacter bacteria.
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Drinking water production
These bacteria require oxygen for their metabolism, so aeration is often
provided in the treatment system to maintain the necessary oxygen levels for
nitrification.
After nitrification, the water typically undergoes filtration, which involves
passing the water through a bed of granular media (such as sand and gravel).
As the water moves through the media, particles settle out and are retained
within the filter bed.
This step enhances the quality of the treated water by reducing turbidity and
removing remaining impurities.
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Drinking water production
Iron and manganese ( rapid sand filters water treatment plant)
Iron and manganese are commonly found in groundwater sources and
can pose challenges in water treatment due to their presence as
dissolved or particulate forms.
Pre-Oxidation:
Before the water enters the rapid sand filters, pre-oxidation is often
employed to convert the dissolved forms of iron and manganese into
their insoluble forms.
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Drinking water production
This oxidation step can be achieved by various methods, including the
addition of oxidizing agents like chlorine, potassium permanganate, or
hydrogen peroxide.
Rapid Sand Filters:
The pre-oxidized water is then directed to the rapid sand filters. These
filters consist of layers of different-sized media, typically including a
layer of fine sand on top of a coarser sand or gravel layer.
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Drinking water production
The filter media effectively traps and removes the insoluble iron and
manganese particles.
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Drinking water production
Slow sand filters
A type of water treatment technology that use a bed of fine sand to remove
impurities and improve water quality.
These filters operate at a low flow rate and rely on biological, physical, and
chemical processes to purify the water.
1. Filter Bed:
Slow sand filters consist of a shallow bed or basin filled with carefully
selected fine sand. The sand bed typically ranges from 0.6 to 1.5 meters in
depth, depending on the design and water treatment requirements.
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Drinking water production
2. Biological Action:
• One of the key mechanisms in slow sand filtration is the development
of a biological layer, called the "schmutzdecke," on the top surface of
the sand bed.
• The schmutzdecke is a complex microbial community that forms a
biofilm, which plays a crucial role in the filtration process.
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Drinking water production
3. Filtration Process:
• Water to be treated is applied to the top of the sand bed. As the water
percolates through the sand, physical and biological processes occur to
remove impurities:
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Drinking water production
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. 5. Air pollution control
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Air pollution control
Non-regeneration adsorption refers to a process in which adsorbent
materials are used to capture and remove contaminants from a fluid or gas
stream without regenerating or reactivating the adsorbent material for
further use.
Regeneration adsorption refers to a process in which adsorbent materials
are treated or regenerated to restore their adsorption capacity after they have
become saturated with contaminants.
Cryocondensation is a process that involves the condensation and
collection of gases or vapors by cooling them to very low temperatures.
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Air pollution control
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Air pollution control
Bio-scrubber is an air pollution control device that utilizes
microorganisms to remove pollutants from industrial exhaust gases or
other contaminated air streams.
These odor and emission treatment systems rely on microorganisms
present in the water that’s recirculated through the treatment vessel.
Foul air is forced upward through the bottom of the vessel.
On its way up, it’s dispersed through synthetic media and contacts the
water laden with microorganisms.
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Air pollution control
The microorganisms metabolize the offending compounds, leaving
clean air to be released from the vessel.
Water recirculation is the key feature of bioscrubbers. The water
retains all the metabolized compounds removed from the air,
increasing its acidity.
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Air pollution control: Bioscrubber
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Air pollution control
A bio-trickling filter is an air pollution control technology that combines
the principles of both biological treatment and gas scrubbing to remove
pollutants from industrial exhaust gases or other contaminated air streams.
These systems work similarly in that they use microorganisms, media and
water.
Odorous or polluted air is collected and forced up through structured media
within the vessel.
But in biotrickling filters, the microorganisms grow within the media.
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Air pollution control
The key differentiator of biotrickling filters is that they do not
recirculate water.
The water used in these systems passes through only once, and acts
mainly as a rinse to drain the metabolized compounds away.
Biotrickling filters support a greater diversity of bacteria. As impacted
air is forced upward through the vessel, it encounters different types of
microorganisms.
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Air pollution control:bio-trickling filter
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Reading Assignment
Carbon
Sulfur
Nitrogen
Phosphate
cycle in a natural system.
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