Innovative Biological Wastewater Treatment Techniques

Lack of safe drinking water due to pollution is one of the gravest problems faced by humans today. According to an estimate by the World Health Organization, more than two billion people live in water-stressed countries, and around 1.7 billion people around the world drink contaminated water. The study further states that the growing prevalence of diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, polio, and typhoid is linked to the consumption of unsafe water.

The discharge of industrial effluents into different water bodies including lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams is one major reason behind the growing rate of water pollution across the globe. Moreover, the rapid pace of urbanization and industrialization in various parts of the globe has led to an increase in the volume of urban sewage and drainage water, accelerating the problem.

Wastewater treatment techniques are therefore becoming more important. Among all other approaches, biological wastewater treatment has become a preferred choice for industries and municipal authorities across the globe.

Aerobic Water Treatment

Biological wastewater treatment refers to a set of techniques that uses biological agents such as bacteria, protozoa, and fungi to remove contaminants from water and purify it. These mechanisms are generally used as a secondary treatment process after filtering solid waste materials from the water source. Once these biotic agents are introduced into the wastewater, they break down the organic waste materials, creating a flocculation effect—a process by which a coagulant acts to facilitate bonding between particles, creating larger aggregates—and then separating the sludge from the substrate.

Typically, biological wastewater treatment can be classified into two type, aerobic and anaerobic, based on the requirement of oxygen for breaking down the organic matter. Over the years, different technologies have been developed for the effective removal of waste materials. Activated sludge, one of the oldest water purification methodologies, is the most widely used technique by municipal bodies and industries around the world. This mechanism uses the flocculation effect to separate sludge from the water resource. Though effective, this technique requires a lot of space for removing the suspended solid particles. Hence, many industries are shifting toward the use of fixed-bed and membrane bioreactors.

The use of fixed-bed bioreactors is a rather recent phenomenon wherein multiple-chambered tanks are employed. These tanks are layered with plastic medium and porous foam through which wastewater passes. Out of all the biological wastewater treatment systems, FBBRs occupy the smallest space and use minimal energy for pollutant removal processes. Moreover, these systems also allow the simultaneous running of other purification processes such as desalination, nitrification, sulfide-reduction, etc. In the past few years, some companies have also started developing moving bed bioreactors that contain aeration tanks with mobile polyethylene biofilm carriers.

On the other hand, membrane bioreactors are used to combine activate sludge methodologies with membrane filtration techniques to offer high-quality results. This technique is rather costly and hence is used only in industries such as food processing wherein water purity is of paramount importance.

Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment

Similar to these aerobic techniques, various anaerobic mechanisms have also been designed that efficiently remove waste materials and contaminants. Among these, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket systems are widely used for treating industrial effluents. The main reason behind the growing usage of this technique is that the breakdown of organic matter without oxygen results in the production of biogas which can be used for electricity generation. Hence, many manufacturing facilities employ UASBs to capitalize on the dual benefits offered by these systems. However, compared to aerobic wastewater treatment techniques, the sludge created by UASBs is significantly less in quantity which is why these machines need to be cleaned regularly.

As per a report published by Allied Market Research, innovations and technological advancements in the biological wastewater treatment market are expected to play a major role in the growth of the industry. According the report, the sector is anticipated to gather a revenue of $15.1 billion by 2031. The launch of advanced wastewater treatment solutions by leading companies has also increased the popularity of these techniques.

In March 2024, for example, Arxtera, a bioaugmentation and bio-stimulants manufacturer, announced the launch of a range of new biological wastewater treatment products for residential, municipal, and industrial purposes. As per the press statement issued by the company, these solutions contain bacterial strains and probiotic enzymes for the removal of contaminants and boost dissolved oxygen in the water source. The product range has witnessed huge growth in demand from chemical processing, food and beverage, and paper manufacturing industries.

In conclusion, the growing scarcity of safe drinking water in many countries worldwide has brought the issue of wastewater treatment into focus. Several industries and municipal bodies have started adopting biological water purification mechanisms to remove all types of contaminants effectively. The innovations in the field of biotic wastewater treatment are expected to open new avenues of growth in the coming period.

Akhilesh Prabhugaonkar holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology. He has a special interest in forensics, world history, international relations and foreign policy, sports, agriculture, astronomy, security, and oceanography. An ardent bibliophile and music lover, Akhilesh loves to write on various societal issues.