Biomedical subjects

Mohamed F Dahab

Publications and source records attributed to Mohamed F Dahab.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Effects of long-term wastewater application on chemical properties and phosphorus adsorption capacity in soils of a wastewater land treatment system.

The buildup of phosphorus (P) in the soil is a major factor limiting the operating life of a wastewater land treatment system. In this study, we evaluated changes of chemical properties, P profiles, and adsorption isotherms in the soils of a Muskegon wastewater land treatment system, which has received wastewater for approximately 30 years. It was found that the pH in the 15-cm topsoil increased from approximately 5-6 in 1973 to approximately 7.4-7.8 in 2003; a large amount of salt (e.g., Ca, Mg) in wastewater was adsorbed by the soil; the soil Al content (either exchangeable or oxalate extractable) decreased, while the oxalate-extractable Fe content remained at the same level. Ca-bound P accounted for > or = 70% of the total P adsorbed in the soil. The soil P adsorption capacity increased and was positively correlated with the concentration of exchangeable Ca in the soil. A higher concentration of exchangeable Ca was found in the 15-cm topsoil, where a higher total organic carbon was present. More P was accumulated in the upper soil than in the deeper soil. The adsorption of Ca in wastewater by the soil may extend the life expectancy of the Muskegon land treatment system.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2004

Nitrate removal characteristics of high performance fluidized-bed biofilm reactors.

Two laboratory-scale high performance fluidized bed biofilm reactors (FBBR) with sand as the biofilm carrier were used to investigate the denitrification of high-strength nitrate wastewater with specific emphasis on the effect the nitrogen loading rate and the superficial velocity (V(s)). The results demonstrated that the FBBR system is capable of efficiently handling an exceptionally high nitrate nitrogen concentration of 1000 mg N/L. At a loading rate of 6.3 kg-N/m(3)(bed).d almost complete denitrification was achieved with a removal efficiency of 99.8% and an effluent concentration of 2mg N/L at V(s) values of 45, 55 and 65 m/h. The maximum efficient loading rate (R(max)) at which the US drinking water nitrate-nitrogen standard concentration of 10mg N/L would be exceeded was found to be a function of the applied V(s). The R(max) was found to be 12 kg-N/m(3)(bed).d at a V(s) value of 45 m/h. As V(s) was increased to 55 and 65 m/h, the optimum R(max) dropped to 9.5 and 8 kg-N/m(3)(bed).d, respectively. Higher denitrification rates were achieved at relatively lower V(s). However, there is a minimum practical velocity below which agglomeration of biomass would occur. The suspended solids concentration in the effluent was below 30 mg/L throughout the study.

Biofilms↗

PubMed2004

Biofilm and biomass characteristics in high-performance fluidized-bed biofilm reactors.

Two laboratory-scale fluidized-bed biofilm reactors (FBBRs) were used to investigate the biomass concentration and the biofilm characteristics in a high-performance FBBR used for the denitrification of exceptionally high-nitrate wastewater (1000 mg N/L). Reported correlations by other workers for predicting the biomass concentration in FBBR were examined for their validity in comparison with the experimental results of this study and the best set of applicable correlations was recommended. The effects of the two main operational parameters, the superficial velocity and nitrogen loading rate on the biomass concentration in the FBBR were also studied. Correlations for the drag coefficient and the expansion index from the literature, together with the biofilm dry density correlation produced from this study were found to produce the best prediction of the FBBR biomass concentration compared to other reported correlations. The average biomass concentration in the FBBR decreased with the increase of the superficial velocity in the range of 45-65 m/h at all applied nitrogen loadings (i.e. 6, 8, 12 and 16 kg N/m3bedd).

Biofilms↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nitrogen transformations modeling in subsurface-flow constructed wetlands.

Subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (CWs) wastewater treatment typically results in satisfactory organics removal. However, the removal of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, is often unreliable, and typically less than desired, and nitrogen transformations in wetlands systems are not well-understood. The principal objective of this study was to establish a basis for quantification of nitrogen transformations through subsurface flow CW systems. Actual performance data from a full-scale facility located near Lincoln, Nebraska, were used to calibrate a proposed nitrogen transformations model, which, in turn, was used to replicate and predict the wetlands performance. To realize this objective, a compartmental analysis technique, which uses a set of differential equations and nonlinear optimization numerical methods, was used for solving nitrogen transformation rates and for predicting wetland performance. The model satisfactorily reproduced the mean effluent concentrations for organic nitrogen, ammonium-nitrogen, and nitrate-nitrogen, but with lesser accuracy with respect to peak high and low effluent concentrations. Nitrogen mass balance in the wetland was used to identify likely nitrogen transformation pathways. Generally, it was found that approximately one-third of the influent nitrogen mass was removed through nitrification and denitrification, one-third was removed through vegetative assimilation, and the remainder was discharged in the wetland effluent.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗