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Effect of hydraulic retention time on inorganic nutrient recovery and biodegradable organics removal in a biofilm reactor treating plant biomass leachateA fixed-film (biofilm) reactor was designed and its performance was determined at various retention times. The goal was to find the optimal retention time for recycling plant nutrients in an advanced life support system, to minimize the size, mass, and volume (hold-up) of a production model. The prototype reactor was tested with aqueous leachate from wheat crop residue at 24, 12, 6, and 3 h hydraulic retention times (HRTs). Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrates and other plant nutrients, carbohydrates, total phenolics, and microbial counts were monitored to characterize reactor performance. BOD removal decreased significantly from 92% at the 24 h HRT to 73% at 3 h. Removal of phenolics was 62% at the 24 h retention time, but 37% at 3 h. Dissolved oxygen concentrations, nitric acid consumption, and calcium and magnesium removals were also affected by HRT. Carbohydrate removals, carbon dioxide (CO2) productions, denitrification, potassium concentrations, and microbial counts were not affected by different retention times. A 6 h HRT will be used in future studies to determine the suitability of the bioreactor effluent for hydroponic plant production.
Document ID
20040088059
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Krumins, Valdis
(NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach FL United States)
Hummerick, Mary
Levine, Lanfang
Strayer, Richard
Adams, Jennifer L.
Bauer, Jan
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 2002
Publication Information
Publication: Bioresource technology
Volume: 85
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0960-8524
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Center KSC
Evaluation Studies
NASA Discipline Life Support Systems

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