Dynamics of Nitrogen Transformation and Removal in a Pilot High Rate Pond
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Date
2014
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Publisher
Scientific Research
Abstract
The transformation and removal of nitrogen was studied in a pilot high rate pond with a surface
area of 10.2 m2 and water depth of 60 cm. The pilot unit received wastewater from an existing
field scale primary facultative pond at the University of Dar es Salaam. Wastewater samples were
collected from the influent and effluent of high rate pond and were analyzed for physical-chemical
parameters in the laboratory and in situ. An appropriate model complexity was selected, from
which a conceptual model was then developed to model various processes in the system using
STELLA 6.0.1 software. The study demonstrated that dominant nitrogen transformation processes
in HRP were nitrification and denitrification, which transformed 0.95 and 0.87 gN/m2∙d, respectively.
These were followed by mineralization (0.37 gN/m2∙d), ammonia uptake by microorganisms
(0.34 gN/m2∙d), volatilization (0.30 gN/m2∙d), sedimentation (0.24 gN/m2∙d), and regeneration
(0.15 gN/m2∙d). Uptake of nitrate was not observed because of microorganisms preference for
ammonia, which was abundant in the pond. The major nitrogen transformation mechanisms in
high rate pond were denitrification, net sedimentation and volatilization, which accounted for
69.1%, 7.1% and 23.8% of the total permanent removal mechanisms of nitrogen in High Rate
Pond.
Description
Keywords
High Rate Ponds, Nitrification, Denitrification, Nitrogen transformation, Nitrogen removal
Citation
Mayo, A.W. and Hanai, E.E., 2014. Dynamics of nitrogen transformation and removal in a pilot high rate pond. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 6(5), p.433.