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Aerobic Granulation: Advances and Challenges

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Abstract

Aerobic granulation was developed in overcoming the problem of biomass washout often encountered in activated sludge processes. The novel approach to developing fluffy biosolids into dense and compact granules offers a new dimension for wastewater treatment. Compared with conventional biological flocs, aerobic granules are characterized by well-defined shape and compact buildup, superior biomass retention, enhanced microbial functions, and resilient to toxicity and shock loading. This review provides an up-to-date account on development in aerobic granulation and its applications. Granule characterization, factors affecting granulation, and response of granules to various environmental and operating conditions are discussed. Maintaining granule of adequate structural stability is one of the main challenges for practical applications of aerobic granulation. This paper also reviews recent advances in addressing granule stability and storage for use as inoculums, and as biomass supplement to enhance treatment efficiency. Challenges and future work of aerobic granulation are also outlined.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from Project NSFC No. 51176037 and the supports from the National Science Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Perak, Malaysia

    Kuan-Yeow Show

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan

    Duu-Jong Lee

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Duu-Jong Lee

  4. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    Joo-Hwa Tay

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  1. Kuan-Yeow Show
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  2. Duu-Jong Lee
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  3. Joo-Hwa Tay
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Correspondence to Duu-Jong Lee.

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Show, KY., Lee, DJ. & Tay, JH. Aerobic Granulation: Advances and Challenges. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 167, 1622–1640 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-012-9609-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-012-9609-8

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