Avaliação da microbiota nitrificante na etapa de partida de biofiltro aerado submerso (BAS) multi-estágio, como pós-tratamento de efluente de reator anaeróbio alimentado com mistura de lixiviado de aterro sanitário e esgoto doméstico

Abstract

his work was based on the monitoring of a system formed by three multi-stage Submerse Aerated Biofilters (BAS), applied to the post-treatment of effluent of the anaerobic reactor fed with mixture of landfill leachate and domestic sewage, being tested three different support media: lids and necks of PET bottles, broken stone nº4 and Pall rings, being denominated BAS 1, 2 and 3. The BAS are reactors with fixed biomass, in a way that the microorganisms adhere to the support media forming biofilm. In this way, this work had as objective to verify the occurrence of nitrifying microbiota in the set-off period of the system, established in 90 days. The presence of nitrifying bacteria was evaluated through polymerase chain reaction techniques (PCR) and technique of the most probable (NMP), seeking the quantifying of the microorganisms, specifically Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. The presence of these was confirmed by the results of the physical-chemical analysis and by the NMP technique. The counting of the bacteria of the Nitrosomonas gender for the 3 BAS presented a similar profile with values between 7,8 x 101 and >1,6 x 105(BAS1); 7,8 x 101 and 1,6 x 105(BAS2) and 2,4 x 101 and 9,2 x 104(BAS3). The same behavior was observed for bacteria of the Nitrobacter gender, which values vary between: < 1,8 x 101 and 1,6 x 104(BAS1); 1,8 x 101 and 2,4 x 103(BAS2); 1,7 x 101 and 3,5 x 103 (BAS3). The counting of bacteria of the Nitrobacter gender presented themselves lower in all the reactors. The levels of nitrate evaluated in the effluent showed the occurrence of an increase in the concentration during the monitored period in all the reactors presenting the following values: 74 to 922 mg/L (BAS 1), 95 to 910mg/L (BAS 2) and 33 to 910 mg/L (BAS 3), which can be related to the increase of the presence of nitrifying bacteria, according to the results of the NMP. The analysis of PCR, however, was harmed possibly by the presence of hindering substances making the amplification difficult. In this stage all the easily biodegradable organic matter had already been consumed by the anaerobic pre-treatment previously to the BAS, remaining in the affluent to the BAS only recalcitrant organic matter, which hindered the development of an adequate biofilm and possibly the amplification of the DNA of the nitrifying bacteria present in the system. This research is part of two more ample projects, the Teaching Aid Program and the Scientific and Technological Research in Engineering (Pro-Engineering) and the Sinos Plan, which has as objective to structure the Basin Plan for the Sinos River. The importance of this work meets the necessity of developing alternatives which seek to improve the quality of the wastewater thrown in the Hydrographic Basin of the Sinos River.