Systems and processes for wastewater treatment
The disclosure, in one aspect, relates to hybrid ion-exchange and algae photosynthesis systems and processes for algae cultivation and treatment of high NH 4 + concentration wastewater. The disclosed systems and methods can be further optimized using a disclosed mathematical model that can predict the hybrid ion-exchange and algae photosynthesis process including temporal evolution of the NH 4 + concentration. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
1. A process for wastewater treatment, the process comprising mixing the wastewater with cation exchange particles and an algae inoculum in a single reactor, wherein the cation exchange particles and algae inoculum are suspended in the wastewater.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is carried out in a bioreactor; and wherein the bioreactor is a photobioreactor.
3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the photobioreactor comprises one or more light sources in the visible light spectrum.
4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the light source is configured to provide at least one light/dark cycle.
5. The process of claim 3 , wherein the light source emits at an illumination density of about 50 μmol/m 2 /sec to about 1000 μmol/m 2 /sec.
6. The process of claim 2 , wherein the photobioreactor comprises exposure to natural sun light.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the algae inoculum comprises at least one Chlorella sp.
8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the least one Chlorella sp. is an isolated Chlorella sp.
9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the algae inoculum consists essentially of least one isolated Chlorella sp.
10. The process of claim 7 , wherein the at least one Chlorella sp. is a consortium of two to five independently selected Chlorella sp.
11. The process of claim 7 , wherein the algae inoculum further comprises at least one species selected from Acaryochloris sp., Amphora sp., Anabaena sp., Anacystis sp., Anikstrodesmis sp., Asteromonas sp., Azoarcus sp., Bacillus sp., Botryococcus sp., Chaetoceros sp., Chlorococcum sp., Closterium sp., Crocosphaera sp., Cyanotheca sp., Cyclotella sp., Cylindrotheca sp., Desmodesmus sp., Dunaliella sp., Escherichia sp., Euglena sp., Halobacterium sp., Halomonas sp., Halospirulina sp., Hematococcus sp., Isochrysis sp., Lyngbya sp., Marinichlorella sp., Micratinium sp., Microcystis sp., Monochrysis sp., Monoraphidium sp., Nannochloris sp., Nannochlorum sp., Nannochloropsis sp., Navicula sp., Nephrochloris sp., Nephroselmis sp., Nitrobacter sp., Nitrococcus sp., Nitrosococcus sp., Nitrosomonas sp., Nitrosopumilus sp., Nitrospina sp., Nitzschia sp., Nodularia sp., Nostoc sp., Oochromonas sp., Oocystis sp., Oscillatoria sp., Pavlova sp., Pediastrum sp., Phaeodactylum sp., Picochlorum sp., Platymonas sp., Pleurochrysis sp., Porphyra sp., Prochlorococcus sp., Pseudoanabaena sp., Pseudomonas sp., Pyramimonas sp., Rhodoceros sp., Rhodocyclus sp., Rhodomonas sp., Rubrivivax sp., Scenedesmus sp., Selenastrum sp., Spirulina, Stichococcus sp., Synechococcus sp., Synechocystis sp., Tetraselmis sp., Thalassiosira sp., Thermosynechocystis sp., Trichodesmium sp., Thiobacillus sp., Uronema sp., and Zoogloea sp.
12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the cation exchange particles bind or adsorb ammonium ions.
13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the cation exchange particles are zeolite.
14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the zeolite is chabazite.
15. The process of claim 13 , wherein the zeolite has a SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 molar ratio of less than or equal to about 10.
16. The process of claim 13 , wherein the zeolite is present in amount of about 30 g/L to about 300 g/L.
17. The process of claim 13 , wherein the zeolite comprises chabazite, clinoptilite, erionite, mordenite, or any combination thereof.
18. The process of claim 13 , wherein the zeolite has a particle size of about 100 μm to about 2,500 μm.
19. The process of claim 1 , wherein NH 4 + —N concentration in the wastewater is about 100 mg/L to about 2000 mg/L.