ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Stability Monitoring of the Nitrification Process:
Multivariate Statistical Analysis
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University of Agriculture in Kraków, Department of Sanitary Engineering and Water Management,
Kraków, Poland
Submission date: 2017-08-09
Final revision date: 2017-09-22
Acceptance date: 2017-09-24
Online publication date: 2018-04-13
Publication date: 2018-05-30
Corresponding author
Ewa Wąsik
University of Agriculture in Kraków; Department of Sanitary Engineering and Water Management, Al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 31-059 Kraków, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2018;27(5):2303-2313
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this article is to define the possibilities of applying multivariate statistical
analysis (PCA and control charts) in the monitoring of the effectiveness of biological nitrification
in a wastewater treatment plant working for the municipality of Sanok. The difference in oxygen
affinity between ammonium and nitrite oxidizers results in a bacteria competition between AOM and
NOM. A more stable nitrification process was obtained in reactor I for mean oxygen concentration
of 1.13-2.05 mgO2·dm-3. The lowest mean concentrations of ammonia nitrogen were obtained in the
range 3.43-3.62 mgN-NH4+·dm-3. Reactor II worked at mean oxygen concentration 1.69-4.56 mgO2·dm-3,
which caused lower stability in this study period. The mean concentration of ammonium nitrogen
ranged from 4.06 to 9.08 mgN-NH4+·dm-3. April 2016 was considered the most stable period of work
of nitrification reactors. In that month, in reactor I the upper specification limit USL was not exceeded.
In reactor II the USL was exceeded only 10% of the time. The index of the process capacity Cpk was
higher for reactor I, and achieved a value of 1.71. The process of nitrification in both reactors was qualified
as stable when oxygen concentration was between 1 and 2 mgO2·dm-3.