Microflotation performance for algal separation

The performance of microflotation, dispersed air flotation with microbubble clouds with bubble size about 50 μm, for algae separation using fluidic oscillation for microbubble generation is investigated. This fluidic oscillator converts continuous air supply into oscillatory flow with a regular frequency to generate bubbles of the scale of the exit pore. Bubble characterization results showed that average bubble size generated under oscillatory air flow state was 86 μm, approximately twice the size of the diffuser pore size of 38 μm. In contrast, continuous air flow at the same rate through the same diffusers yielded an average bubble size of 1,059 μm, 28 times larger than the pore size. Following microbubble generation, the separation of algal cells under fluidic oscillator generated microbubbles was investigated by varying metallic coagulant types, concentration and pH. Best performances were recorded at the highest coagulant dose (150 mg/L) applied under acidic conditions (pH 5). Amongst the three metallic coagulants studied, ferric chloride yielded the overall best result of 99.2% under the optimum conditions followed closely by ferric sulfate (98.1%) and aluminum sulfate with 95.2%. This compares well with conventional dissolved air flotation (DAF) benchmarks, but has a highly turbulent flow, whereas microflotation is laminar with several orders of magnitude lower energy density.     

Effect of Environmental Conditions on Hydrophobicity of Marine Bacteria Adapted to Textile Effluent Treatment

Summary Bioflocculation of bacteria isolated from the marine biomass acclimatized to textile wastewater has been achieved. Pseudomonas was the main genus found in the marine biomass. This bacterium showed an important hydrophobicity but slightly weaker than that of pilot plant genera adapted to the conventional sewage. This hydrophobicity provided the bacteria with hydrophobic characters, especially those of the polymeric extracellular substances (ECS) released in the sewage. Whereas some factors such as the divalent cations, calcium and magnesium had an effect on this bacterial hydrophobicity, glucose concentration did not have any impact. Furthermore, the physiological state of the cells hatched in the sewage had an impact on the hydrophobicity. Indeed, during the logarithmic growth phase, cell hydrophobicity increase enhanced floc formation, thus improving wastewater treatment.     

微嗜酸寡养单胞菌EFS1的产电性能及在污水处理中的应用

【背景】微生物燃料电池(Microbial Fuel Cell,MFC)作为一种新型的燃料电池资源,在产电的同时可应用于污水处理领域,达到资源最大化的目的。【目的】从MFC中分离获得一株可培养微生物,研究其产电特性及在污水处理中的微生物絮凝、重金属耐受、苯酚降解性能,为扩展产电菌资源库提供理论基础。【方法】利用WO_3纳米探针从MFC阳极中筛选获得一株具备产电和絮凝性能的菌株,命名为EFS1。运用循环伏安分析结合扫描电镜观测阳极电极;改变外电阻测定极化曲线和功率密度曲线。测定菌株的絮凝、重金属耐受及苯酚降解性能。【结果】经16S rRNA基因序列分析,结合形态学和生理生化鉴定菌株EFS1为微嗜酸寡养单胞菌(Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila)。菌株EFS1具有稳定的产电周期,周期电压最高可达300m V,功率密度可达56.25m W/m~2;扫描电镜发现菌株存在直接接触电极及分泌电子中介体传递电子的方式;MFC内阻为1 000Ω左右。有氧条件下菌株的絮凝率可达到70%,存在电子受体的无氧环境中可达到80%;该菌株还具有良好的Cd~(2+)、Cu~(2+)、Mn~(2+)耐受性及苯酚降解性能,在48 h、2–4 mg/L时苯酚降解率达到了100%。【结论】研究验证了产电菌EFS1具备絮凝能力、重金属耐受、苯酚降解的可能性,为产电菌的开发及污水处理方面提供理论依据。     

藻类胞外聚合物的产生因素及其在污水处理和生物絮凝方面的应用

藻类胞外聚合物(extracellular polymeric substances, EPS)是一种复杂的高分子聚合物,主要由多糖、蛋白质等物质组成。由于EPS具有独特的结构、大的比表面积及含有大量官能团等物理-化学特性,使其在污水处理及微藻生物质的絮凝回收等方面都有着非常重要的作用。本文系统介绍了EPS的组成及特性,重点论述了影响藻类EPS产生的生物因素及非生物因素,如光照、营养盐、pH及温度等,并对EPS在污水处理及生物絮凝方面的应用进行了总结。对藻类EPS产生机制及机理的深入研究有望为微藻提供更广阔的应用前景。