Simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in a two-biofilter system

Abstract

A two-biofilter system operated under alternate conditions of anaerobic/aerobic was tested to simultaneously remove nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage. The factors affecting simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus by the two-biofilter system were investigated. Those factors appeared to be influent COD/T-N and COD/T-P ratio, nitrogen loading rate and hydraulic retention time. Nitrite and nitrate produced in the biofilter in aerobic condition affected phosphorus removal by the two-biofilter system. The amount of biomass wasted during the backwash procedure also affected total nitrogen and phosphorus removal by the system.