Effect of dissolved oxygen concentration on biomass production in wastewater

Abstract

Biological wastewater treatment is a process that removes pollution caused by carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. For this purpose, aerobic microorganisms must have an adequate amount of oxygen to avoid slowing down this process. This research therefore evaluated the influence of dissolved oxygen concentration and time on the rate of microbial growth in wastewater samples. To do so, a mixed culture of aerobic microorganisms was used with an equivalent concentration of SSV=150 mg/L, dissolved oxygen levels of 2, 3, 4 ppm, observation time of 5 days and concentration of pollutants equal to 800 ppm. It was determined that the growth of microorganisms responded to the cell synthesis phase, and it increased from 150 mg/L of SSV to 386.9, 412.07 and 423.7 mg/L, depending on the level of dissolved oxygen (2, 3 and 4 ppm). On the other hand, as the treatment time elapsed, the rate of microbial growth decreased, despite the fact that the significance of the effect of dissolved oxygen concentration was negligible. Finally, time and the interaction of both variables were relevant.

Keywords: batch reactor, bioremediation, microbial growth, oxygenation, wastewater.