Biomedical subjects

Y Ruskol

Publications and source records attributed to Y Ruskol.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Nitrification utilizing CaCO3 as the buffering agent.

Nitrification utilizing chalk (calcium carbonate) as the buffering agent was investigated. Three different fluidized bed reactor configurations were examined in order to study the effect of reactor layout on nitrification and concomitant chalk dissolution. The first system consisted of two interconnected columns with high recycle rate, one containing zeolite as the carrier for the nitrifying biomass and the other chalk as the buffering agent. The second reactor system consisted of a single column containing both zeolite and chalk particles. In the third system, nitrification was carried out in a single column where chalk particles were used both as the carrier for the biomass and as the buffer. Results showed that only the reactor with chalk acting as both the buffering agent and the biomass carrier could be operated without external buffer (NaHCO3) addition. This system operated at high ammonium removal rates of up to 2.5 g N l(-1) reactor d(-1) even though the bulk solution of the reactor had a low pH of 5.5. The high nitrification efficiency at this low pH was probably mainly a result of a favorable microenvironment surrounding the nitrifying biomass attached to the chalk.

Antacids↗

PubMed2001

Chalk as the carrier for nitrifying biofilm in a fluidized bed reactor.

A fluidized bed reactor for nitrification with chalk as the biomass carrier and the sole buffer agent was studied. Chalk dissolution in the reactor was found to follow the stoichiometric ratio of 1 mole of CaCO3 dissolved for each mole of NH4+ oxidized. Three batches of chalk, each one having a different dissolution rate, were used to replace the dissolved chalk. The three dissolution rates resulted in three different steady state pH levels in the reactor (4.7-6.6) and nitrification rates. Nitrification was found to be limited by either the chalk dissolution rate or dissolved oxygen concentration depending on the type of chalk used. A maximal nitrification rate of 1.44 g NH4(+)-N/l reactor.d was observed. The average cell yield was 0.1 g cells/g N oxidized, similar to the cell yield during reactor start-up when the pH was 7. The specific ammonium oxidation rates varied between 0.08 and 0.15 mg NH4(+)-N oxidized/mg protein.h, values which are in the reported range for nitrification at pH 7 to 8. Oxygen update rate (OUR) results indicated that the major mechanism responsible for the high nitrification rate observed in the reactor operating at low pH seems to be the favorable microenvironment provided by the chalk.

Bacteria↗