Application of response surface methodology to optimize the operational parameters for enhanced removal efficiency of organic matter and nitrogen: moving bed biofilm reactor.

An attempt of response surface methodology (RSM) has been made for more effective utilization and optimization for considerable reduction of operational conditions such as reaction time, aeration time, energy consumption, etc. for municipal wastewater treatment process using moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). A mathematical-statistical model was developed for the second-order response surface through the fit of a polynomial function and a central composite design (CCD) in the form of a full factorial design. CCD was employed to assess the interactive effects of the three main independent operational parameters, including biocarrier filling rate (0-70 %), aeration rate (0.21-0.42 m(3) h(-1)), and reactor run time (1-15 days), on the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN). Analysis of variance expressed a high coefficient of determination (R (2) = 0.84-0.95), thereby indicating that the model is significant. Using a desirability function for the highest COD (93 %), BOD (96 %), and TKN (69 %) removal, the optimum carrier filling rate, aeration rate, and reactor run time were identified to be 40 %, 0.21 m(3) h(-1), and 7 days, respectively. It shows that RSM can be a suitable method to optimize the operational parameters of MBBR with enhanced removal efficiency and less power consumption.