Coupling the new concept of sequential biofiltration with in situ electron acceptor delivery for enhanced OMP removal and effective attenuation of disinfection by-product precursors

Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany

1. Technical University of Munich, Germany

2. University of Girona, Spain

This project will develop targeted approaches to establish in situ concepts for electron acceptor delivery (e.g., H2O2, O2, ozone) in sequential biofiltration systems by employing gas-permeable membranes for efficient mass transfer using an existing pilot-scale biofiltration system in addition to lab-scale reactors for supplemental controlled experiments. Delivery concepts and in situ mass transfer of electron acceptors and establishment of oxic redox zones in a plug-flow biofiltration reactor will be investigated and modelled. The adaptation of the make-up and functionality of the microbiome to upregulate more suitable enzymes (i.e., monooxygenases) will be characterized using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses. Kinetic studies will derive rate constants for a sequence of altered redox conditions to assess removal performance for OMPs. For select indicator chemicals, the degree of biotransformation will be characterized by determining OMP transformation products for sequential biofiltration using oxygen vs. ozone. In addition, since sequential redox zones can also affect biotransformation of bulk organic carbon (DOC), the formation potential of disinfection byproducts during subsequent disinfection of the effluent will be determined while employing different electron acceptors during sequential biofiltration.

Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain – 9 months