Determining the optimal operational parameters for denitrification in a biological filter

Water is essential for life. Groundwater, besides surface water, represents one of the most important source of drinking water. The presence of nitrates in water intended for human consumption or as a consequence of its occurrence in drinking water treatment flows due to the oxidation of ammonium by biological nitrification,
implies the inclusion of a biological denitrification step in order to ensure the compliance of human consumption water quality with the current legislation and in order to avoid diseases such as methemoglobinemia. Experiments were conducted in a pilot scale biological filter which was filled with expanded clay as a
filter media. The bioreactor was feed with a groundwater source intended for drinking water. The experiment objective was the determination of the optimal operating parameters, such as loading rates, biological reaction time, filtration rates, etc., in order to achieve maximum denitrification. Scanning electron microscopy
investigations, revealed insights into the granules morphology and structure such as size, pore dimensions, presence of bacteria.