Simultaneous removal of bioaerosols, odors and volatile organic compounds from a wastewater treatment plant by a full-scale integrated reactor

Biological control of odors and bioaerosols in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have gained more attention in recent years. The simultaneous removal of odors, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols in each unit of a full-scale integrated-reactor (FIR) in a sludge dewatering room was investigated. The average removal efficiencies (REs) of odors, VOCs and bioaerosols were recorded as 98.5 %, 94.7 % and 86.4 %, respectively, at an inlet flow rate of 5760 m(3)/h. The RE of each unit decreased, and the activated carbon adsorption zone (AZ) played a more important role as the inlet flow rate increased. The REs of hydrophilic compounds were higher than those of hydrophobic compounds. For bioaerosols, roughly 35 % of airborne heterotrophic bacteria (HB) was removed in the low-pH zone (LPZ) while over 30 % of total fungi (TF) was removed in the neutral-pH zone (NPZ). Most bioaerosols removed by the biofilter (BF) had a particle size larger than 4.7 mu m while bioaerosols with small particle size were apt to be adsorbed by AZ. The microbial community in the BF changed significantly at different units. Health risks were found to be associated with H2S rather than with bioaerosols at the FIR outlet. (C) 2020 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.