INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL-CONDITIONS ON THE AMOUNT OF N2O RELEASED FROM ACTIVATED-SLUDGE IN A DOMESTIC WASTE-WATER TREATMENT-PLANT


SUMER E., WEISKE A., BENCKISER G., OTTOW J.

EXPERIENTIA, vol.51, no.4, pp.419-422, 1995 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 51 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 1995
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/bf01928908
  • Journal Name: EXPERIENTIA
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.419-422
  • Keywords: N2O RELEASE, ACTIVATED SLUDGE, NITRIFICATION, DENITRIFICATION, OZONE DESTRUCTION, GREENHOUSE EFFECT, NITROUS-OXIDE, NITRIC-OXIDE, SOIL
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Waste water purification is characterized by intensive mineralization and nitrification processes. Because of the high O-2 demand, temporarily anaerobic conditions may be produced. and denitrification by nitrifying organisms as well as hetertropic denitrification may contribute to N2O release. In situ measurements (1993-1994) suggest that N2O is released from activated sludge in a domestic waste water treatment plant at an average rate of 1040 mu g m(-2) h(-1) with a range between zero and 6198 mu g m(-2) h(-1). The production of N2O seems to be related to the concentration of NO2- and NO3- as well as to the pH. In the waste water about 75-200 mu g N2O l(-1) is dissolved. This N2O is released after discharge into the receiving waters. The N2O is produced essentially by nitrification rather than by heterotropic denitrification. On a long-term scale the increasing use of mechanical-biological waste water purification plants world-wide may add increasingly to the anthropogenic production of N2O, although the present amount of N2O produced is negligible compared to its global terrestrial production.