Biofilm Reactor (biofilm + reactor)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Validation of the CDC biofilm reactor as a dynamic model for assessment of encrustation formation on urological device materials

JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010
Brendan F. Gilmore
Abstract Contemporary medical science is reliant upon the rational selection and utilization of devices, and therefore, an increasing need has developed for in vitro systems aimed at replicating the conditions to which urological devices will be subjected to during their use in vivo. We report the development and validation of a novel continuous flow encrustation model based on the commercially available CDC biofilm reactor. Proteus mirabilis -induced encrustation formation on test biomaterial sections under varying experimental parameters was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, infrared- and Raman spectroscopy and by scanning electron microscopy. The model system produced encrusted deposits similar to those observed in archived clinical samples. Results obtained for the system are highly reproducible with encrustation being rapidly deposited on test biomaterial sections. This model will have utility in the rapid screening of encrustation behavior of biomaterials for use in urological applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2010 [source]


Nitrite accumulation characteristics of high strength ammonia wastewater in an autotrophic nitrifying biofilm reactor

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
Ho-Joon Yun
Abstract Selective nitrification was carried out to accumulate nitrite from high strength ammonia wastewater in an autotrophic nitrifying biofilm reactor. Nitrification efficiencies and nitrite accumulation characteristics were investigated at various operating conditions such as ammonium load, oxygen supply and free ammonia concentration. The biofilm reactor showed very stable nitrification efficiencies of more than 90% at up to 2,kg,NH4 -N,m,3,d,1 and the nitrite content was maintained at around 95%. Inhibition by free ammonia on nitrite oxidizers seems to be the major factor for nitrite accumulation. Batch kinetic analyses of ammonium and nitrite oxidation showed that nitrite oxidation activity was selectively inhibited in the presence of free ammonia. However, the activity recovered quickly as the free ammonia concentration decreased below the threshold inhibition concentration. Examination of specific ammonia and nitrite oxidation activities and the most probable number indicated that the number of nitrite-oxidizing microorganisms in the nitrite-accumulating system was less than that in the normal nitrification system due to long-term free ammonia inhibition of the nitrite oxidizers. The reduced population of nitrite oxidizers in the biofilm system was also responsible for the accumulation of nitrite in the biofilm reactor. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


Biological treatment of saline wastewaters from marine-products processing factories by a fixed-bed reactor

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 8 2002
Neji Gharsallah
Abstract Wastewaters generated by a factory processing marine products are characterized by high concentrations of organic compounds and salt constituents (>30,g,dm,3). Biological treatment of these saline wastewaters in conventional systems usually results in low chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, because of the plasmolysis of the organisms. In order to overcome this problem a specific flora was adapted to the wastewater from the fish-processing industry by a gradual increase in salt concentrations. Biological treatment of this effluent was then studied in a continuous fixed biofilm reactor. Experiments were conducted at different organic loading rates (OLR), varying from 250 to 1000,mg,COD,dm,3 day,1. Under low OLR (250,mg,COD,dm,3 day,1), COD and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies were 92.5 and 95.4%, respectively. Thereafter, fluctuations in COD and TOC were observed during the experiment, provoked by the progressive increase of OLR and the nature of the wastewater introduced. High COD (87%) and TOC (99%) removal efficiencies were obtained at 1000,mg,COD,dm,3 day,1. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


Double-deck aerated biofilm membrane bioreactor with sludge control for municipal wastewater treatment

AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009
Jirachote Phattaranawik
Abstract Alternative designs of an aerated moving-bed biofilm reactor and a flat-sheet membrane module for a biofilm membrane bioreactor process have been investigated to overcome a membrane clogging problem and to determine the performance of a new membrane module. Double-deck aerated biofilm reactor with integrated designs of sludge hopper, thickener, and velocity-zone concept for particle settlement was evaluated for the suspended solid control and removal. Hydrodynamics of bubbling, liquid, and solid particles were arranged in the bioreactor to obtain a particle settlement. New membrane modules used under low suspended solid environment having smaller membrane gaps were evaluated for filtration performance and clogging problems for long-term operation. The average suspended solids concentration in the bioreactor effluent was 44.6 mg/L. Relaxation applied with the membrane module provided the most optimum result for fouling control, and no clogging problems in the modules were observed in the system after continuous operation of 3 weeks. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source]


Carrier effects on oxygen mass transfer behavior in a moving-bed biofilm reactor

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2009
Jie Ying Jing
Abstract This study investigates the carrier effects on the oxygen mass transfer behavior of a gas,liquid biofilm surface, and aims to provide evidence for parameter optimization in the practical operation of a moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) during the coking-plant wastewater process. By using the dynamic oxygen dissolution method, the volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient KLa was measured by varying the suspended carrier stuffing rate and the intensity of aeration. Within the range of fluidizable flow rate, the efficiency of oxygen mass transfer increased with suspended carrier stuffing rate, and KLa reached its peak value when the stuffing rate was 40%. KLa has an increasing trend with an increase of the aeration intensity, but high aeration intensity was not favorable for reactor operation. Better oxygen mass transfer effect and higher oxygen transfer efficiency could be achieved when the aeration intensity was 0.3 m3 h,1 and the suspended carrier stuffing rate was 30,50%. The possible mechanisms that can account for carrier effects on oxygen mass transfer are the changes in the gas,liquid interfacial area. The ammonia nitrogen removal performance of the coking-plant wastewater in MBBR was satisfied by using the above-suggested conditions. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Biological treatment of milk processing wastewater in a sequencing batch flexible fibre biofilm reactor

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2009
Mohamed Abdulgader
Abstract Biological treatment of dairy wastewater was investigated using a laboratory scale aerobic sequencing batch flexible fibre biofilm reactor (SBFFBR). The SBFFBR system was modified from a typical sequencing batch reactor system by using eight flexible fibre bundles with a very high specific surface area, which served as support for microorganisms. The reactor was operated under different influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations (610, 2041 and 4382 mg l,1) and constant hydraulic retention times of 1.6 days. The results have shown successful applicability of the SBFFBR system to treat this dairy wastewater. High COD removal efficiencies between 89.7 and 97% were achieved at average organic loading rates of 0.4 and 2.74 kg COD m,3 d,1, respectively. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Influence of Hydrodynamic Conditions on Biofilm Behavior in a Methanogenic Inverse Turbulent Bed Reactor

BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 3 2003
S. Michaud
This paper presents a study about the influence of gas velocity on a methanogenic biofilm in an inverse turbulent bed reactor. Experimental results indicate a dynamic response of the growing attached biomass to the changes of hydrodynamic conditions, mainly attrition constraints. Short but intensive increases of gas velocity (Ug) are shown to induce more detachment than a high but constant gas flow rate. Hydrodynamic conditions control the composition of the growing biofilm in terms of cells and exocellular polymeric substances (EPS). The cell fraction within the biofilm (Rcell) was found to be inversely proportional to the gas velocity. The specific activity expressed in methane production rate or COD removal rate is higher in biofilms formed under high hydrodynamic constraints. The control of the hydrodynamic conditions in a biofilm reactor should make it possible to obtain a resistant and active biofilm. [source]


Measurement of flow field in biofilm reactors by 3-D magnetic resonance imaging

AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 11 2005
Kevin P. Nott
Abstract 3-D Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the flow field of water in a packed-bed column containing Serratia sp. biofilm supported on polyurethane foam, and subsequently to follow a reaction which precipitates lanthanum phosphate on the biofilm. Sensitizing the MR image contrast to the fluid flow along the axis of the bioreactor provided better image-contrast between the foam and fluid compared to that based on MR signal intensity alone. After reaction, that same "velocity contrast" effectively defined the difference between blocked and unblocked regions by distinguishing between regions of flow and no flow. Data acquired during progressive blockage of reactors challenged at two different flow rates accord with reactor theory; thus, the faster flow rate replenished the reactants uniformly, whereas at the slower flow rate the reactants were concentration limited. MRI velocimetry was used to generate data that can be used to model reactors where the efficiency is progressively compromised by blockage due to precipitation. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2005 [source]


Performance of Dual-Media Expanded Bed Bioreactor

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5-6 2005
R. Abdul-Rahman
Abstract Adsorption and biological treatment are two possible approaches to remove chloro-organic and organic compounds. Granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilm reactors combine these two features, the adsorptive capacity and irregular shape of GAC particles providing niches for bacterial colonisation protected from high fluid forces, while the variety of functional groups on the surface enhance the attachment of microorganisms. The biofilm process is compact and offers reactions in both aerobic and anoxic states. Studies on removal of nitrogen constituents by a biofilm process were carried out using a dual-media expanded bed bioreactor, with GAC and plastic media as support media. The plastic media also acts as a filter for the effluent. Experiments were carried out at F:M of about 0.45 and hydraulic residence times (HRT) of 48, 24 and 12 hours. Bed expansion was maintained at 20,30% by recirculation flow. Aerobic condition was maintained at dissolved oxygen (DO) of about 2 mg/l throughout the bed. Chemical oxygen in demand (COD) in feed was 1000 mg/L while the total-N was 100 mg/L. Analysis showed that the process is able to maintain very stable conditions, achieving substantial COD removal of about 85% and total-N removal of about 80%. Biofilm biomass measurements showed an increase from 400 mg/l at HRT of 48 hours to 10,100 mg/l at HRT 12 hours, showing that much higher biomass concentrations may be contained in a biofilm process as compared to a conventional suspended biomass process. Bioreactors contain their own ecosystems, the nature of the community and the state of microorganisms define the kinetics and determine reactor performance. Growth kinetic parameters obtained are YH = 0.3421 mg/mg, m,H = 0.2252 day,1, KH = 319.364 mg/l and bH = 0.046 day,1. The denitrification kinetic parameters obtained are YHD = 0.9409 mg/mg, m,HD = 0.1612 day,1, KHD = 24.6253 mg/l and bHD = 0.0248 day,1. These parameters enable prediction of required reactor sizes and operational parameters. The plastic media has greatly improved effluent clarification by 98% as compared to single-media (GAC) only reactor. [source]