Determination of biokinetic parameters of wastewater biofilms from oxygen concentration profiles

• Author / Creator

  Okafor, Sabinus

• The process of scale-up and rational optimization of biofilm processes for effective wastewater treatment and reuse require better understanding of the biokinetic behavior of microorganisms in the biofilms. At present, no fast and accurate methods exist for determining kinetic parameters for biofilm systems. This study presents a modified approach to quantify biofilm kinetic parameters from oxygen concentration profiles measured in membrane-aerated biofilms (MABs) and rotating biological contactors (RBC) biofilms.

  The calculated values of Monod’s half-saturation coefficient (Ks) for oxygen consumption and maximum utilization rate of oxygen (µm/Y) in MABs were estimated to be 2.01 mg O2/cm3 and 6.50×10-8 mgO2/gVS∙s, respectively. And, the values of first-order kinetic coefficient, (µm/Y)/Ks, in MABs and RBC biofilms were in the range of (0.62-1.43)×10-6 and (0.36-5.55)×10-5cm3/gVS∙s, respectively. The biofilm kinetic parameters obtained in this study were found to differ from the same parameters in activated sludge systems, which show that more experimental data for kinetic parameters in biofilms are required.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Biokinetic parameters
  • Oxygen concentration profiles
  • Biofilms

• Graduation date

  Fall 2011

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3MG7X

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.