Description
A WERF research project focused on development of algal-based nutrient removal (or phycoremediation) strategies that employ phytoplankton to remove nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) from treated effluents prior to discharge. Immobilization techniques are used during this process to prevent “wash out” of algal biomass for municipal water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) that operate at high flow rates and have short in-plant hydraulic residence times. Phycoremediation has been researched, but not widely used, particularly in WRRFs that do not have access to large outdoor algae ponds. While major improvements in wastewater treatment have reduced nutrient loading to natural receiving waters, current limits of technology preclude further nutrient reductions using established processes. New, cost-efficient, and easily adaptable approaches to wastewater treatment must be designed to reduce total N and P effluent concentrations. This webcast will present recent findings on algae-based nutrient removal in waste streams from the research, engineering, and utility perspectives.
