Swati Sharma 2015
UV Light Effect on Bioavailability of Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in a Trickling Filter Process
Swati Sharma is a Master of Science student in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at North Dakota State University. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Kalasalingam University, India. Her current research focused on the photodegradability and bioavailability of wastewater derived dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) to ultraviolet light and algae, respectively.
E-mail: s.sharma@ndsu.edu
Phone: 701-793-5741
Fellow: Swati Sharma
Advisor: Dr. Halis Simsek
Degree Progress: M.S. in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, expected graduation in December 2016.
UV Light Effect on Bioavailability of Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in a Trickling Filter Process
Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is a source of nutrient to living organisms in surface waters; include rivers, estuaries, and lakes. Photodegradable DON (PDON) is a portion of DON that is decomposable by sunlight or artificial light to lower molecular weight organic or inorganic compounds. Bioavailable DON (ABDON) is a portion of DON that is readily available as nitrogen source to algal communities. Wastewater samples, which will be collected from a two-stage wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will be irradiated using UV light and consequently inoculated using pure culture algae Clamydomonous Reinhardtii and/or mixed culture bacteria. DON values before and after; (i) UV light exposure and (ii) algae inoculum will be determined and finally photodegradable bioavailable DON (PABDON) will be calculated.
Project Objectives:
The main scope of the research is to determine the effect of UV light exposure on DON prior to using algal and/or bacterial inoculum in wastewater samples collected from a trickling filter wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).
The specific objectives are:
- To determine DON, PDON, ABDON, and PABDON in final effluent in trickling filter WWTP samples.
- To evaluate different UV light exposure time on photochemical degradation of DON.
Significance:
Understanding the removal of DON in WWTPs has become more and more critical due to stringent discharge limits on effluent nitrogen. The effect of UV light on bioavailable DON (PABDON) to algae and/or bacteria has not been studied in wastewater treatment processes including trickling filter process. This research will provide a comprehensive data to address nutrient contamination introduced to surface waters in ND. For the first time, pure-cultured algae and UV light interaction will be investigated to determine photo-bio availability of DON. Hence, collecting data on the fate of DON, ABDON, PDON, and PABDON through the trickling filter treatment train could help in understanding how to reduce effluent TDN concentration.
The findings of this research will be presented at national and/or regional conferences and will be submitted for publication in a peer review journal. A final report containing all the information on the project including raw data will be delivered at the end of the project.
Halis Simsek
AES Ag & Biosystems Eng
Office: ABEN 2016
Phone: 701-231-6107
Email: halis.simsek@ndsu.edu