ENVE 309

FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGICAL
TREATMENT

2 0 2 1- 2022 FA L L
M ET U
ENV I RO NM ANTA L EN GI N EERI NG D EPA RT MENT

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INTRODUCTION

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Prerequisite situation
EnvE 202 EnvE 309

EnvE 309 is not a prerequisite for any other

course.
But;
It helps you in EnvE 304 and maybe in Enve
407&408

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Objective:

The course aims to introduce environmental

engineering students to the fundamentals of
biological wastewater treatment processes.

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Wastewater (WW)
Domestic WW
• From residential areas

Industrial WW
• From industries (textile, paper, chemical, food
etc)

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Domestic Wastewater

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Domestic Wastewater Composition
Concentration
Contaminants Unit Weak Medium Strong
Solids, total (TS) mg/L 350 720 1200
TDS mg/L 250 500 850
Fixed mg/L 145 300 525
Volatile mg/L
105 200 325
SS mg/L 100 220 350
Fixed mg/L 20 55 75
Volatile mg/L
80 165 275
Settleable Solids mL/L 5 10 20
BOD5 mg/L 110 220 400
TOC mg/L 80 160 290
COD mg/L 250 500 1000
Nitrogen (total as N) mg/L 20 40 85
Organic mg/L 8 15 35
Free Ammonia mg/L 12 25 50
Nitrites mg/L 0 0 0
Nitrates mg/L
0 0 0
Phosphorus (total P) mg/L 4 8 15
Organic mg/L 1 3 5
Inorganic mg/L 3 5 10
Chlorides* mg/L 30 50 100
Sulfate* mg/L 20 30 50
Alkalinity as CaCO3 mg/L 50 100 200
Grease mg/L 50 100 150
Total Coliform #/100mL 106-107 107-108 107-109
Volatile Organic
µg/L <100 100-400 >400
Compounds (VOCs)
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Wastewater Treatment: Objective
To reduce the amount of pollutants in the
water to such a level that the water can be
returned to the environment without
causing stress on aquatic life and be of
sufficient quality for subsequent users.

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Regulations

WPCR, 1988 (revized in 2004)

(Water Pollution Control Regulation)

UWTR, 2006
(Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulation)

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 Typical domestic WW characteristics and related regulation

Parameter Typical domestic WW value Discharge criteria regulation

weak medium strong
COD 250 500 1000 90-180* WPCR, 2004
125 UWTR, 2006
BOD5 110 220 400 35-50* WPCR, 2004
25 UWTR, 2006
SS 100 220 350 25-70* WPCR, 2004
35 UWTR, 2006
P 4 8 15 2 mg/l P UWTR, 2006
(10000-100000 PE)
1 mg/l P
(>100 000 PE)
N 20 40 85 15 mg/l N UWTR, 2006
(10000-100000 PE)
10 mg/l N
(>100 000 PE)

* depending on PE and sample composite type

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Concern of this course
Biological N&P
removal

fundamentals of biological wastewater treatment processes

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Course catalogue description
Introduction to continuous culture kinetics, inhibited
growth kinetics. Chemostat cultures, deviation from ideal,
chemostat cultures with biomass recycle. Plug-flow
cultures. Fed-batch and repeated batch cultures.
Introduction to activated sludge process kinetics.
Nitrification and denitrification systems. Basics of anaerobic
suspended culture systems. Microbiology of wastewater
treatment.

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Course Outline (for further detail please
visit https://odtusyllabus.metu.edu.tr)
 Growth Kinetics - Batch cultures
 Batch Growth Kinetics - Review
 Growth Kinetics - Continuous cultures
 Plug flow and CSTR (chemostat) culture kinetics.
 Cultures with biomass recycle.
 Deviation from ideal case: Maintenance energy
requirement, wall growth, death, inhibited growth
kinetics, competition of the organisms, nutrient
requirements.

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Course Outline (Cont’d)
 Activated Sludge Cultures
 Kinetics of activated sludge cultures; Introduction to
sludge-age concept; Substrate uptake kinetics.
 Modifications of activated sludge (Conventional,
tapered aeration, completely mixed, high-rate,
contact-stabilization, step-aeration, sequencing batch
reactors, Membrane bioreactors)
 Activated sludge microbiology; Bulking and foaming
in activated sludge; Use of filamentous microorganism
identification as a tool for diagnosing the causes of
bulking; Bulking and foaming control

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Course Outline (Cont’d)

Biological Nutrient Removal

 Biological N Removal: Nitrification – Denitrification;
Kinetics and processes
 Biological P removal and Processes
 Combined C, N, P removing processes
Anaerobic Treatment
 Anaerobic digestion of wastewater and sludge
 Kinetics of anaerobic contact process; Process
modifications

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Student Learning Outcomes

 Students will have an understanding of microbial kinetics

& its relationship to bioreactor kinetics with emphasis to
CSTR kinetics.

 Students will relate the basics of bio-reactor kinetics to

activated sludge process & its modifications; Develop
relevant design skills as required in professional
environmental engineering practice.

 Students will develop skills to operate the complex

biological reactors, especially activated sludge.

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 Reference Books:
 S.J. Pirt,"Principles of Microbe and Cell Cultivation", Blackwell
Publication, 1975.
 M. L. Shuler and F. Kargi, “Bioprocess Engineering”, Pearson Publication,
2014.
 N.J. Horan, "Biological Wastewater Treatment Systems", Wiley
Publications, 1990.
 L.D. Benefield and C.W. Randall, "Biological Process Design for
Wastewater Treatment", Prentice-Hall Inc., 1980.
 Metcalf&Eddy, “Wastewater Engineering”, Mc Graw Hill, 2003.
 G. Bitton, “Wastewater Microbiology” John Wiley Sons, 1994.*
 B.E. Ritmann & P.L. McCarty, “Environmental Biotechnology”, Mc Graw
Hill, 2001.

* Available online... Also, please note that there are numbers of some other related e-
books available through METU-Library.
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Grading & Course Policy:
Two mid-terms (50%), one final (40%), homeworks (10%)

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemics situation, classes will be

held online in a synchronized manner. Video recording of
the lessons will be taken, lecture presentations will also be
shared via odtu-class.
Students have to attend 70% of all classes in order to be
eligible to take the final exam, so not to get the grade NA.
Any missing exam and/or homeworks without an acceptable
excuse will also lead to the grade NA.
Exams will be conducted online.
Homeworks 5 or 6!
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 Recitation Hours
To be conducted by the assistants of the course, namely,
Sarp Çelebi and Bahar Evren.
Scheduling will be arranged together with you.
Attendance is not a must but, strongly reommended.

Ofice Hours
For me:
Tuesday 16:40 Sec 1 & Thursday 14:40 Sec 2
For your assistants:
To be announced..
Also, a forum activity on ODTUClass for your questions.
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With wishes for a successfull semester...

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