Methods in Culturing Algae and the Addition of Algae to Enhance the Performance of Gravel

204 Pages·2017·10.11 MB·English

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Master's Theses and Capstones Student Scholarship
Winter 2016
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Kyle Daniel Hay
University of New Hampshire, Durham
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Hay, Kyle Daniel, "Methods in Culturing Algae and the Addition of Algae to Enhance the Performance of
Gravel Roughing Filtration Pretreatment" (2016). Master's Theses and Capstones. 894.
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METHODS IN CULTURING ALGAE AND THE ADDITION OF ALGAE TO ENHANCE
THE PERFORMANCE OF GRAVEL ROUGHING FILTRATION PRETREATMENT

BY

KYLE D. HAY
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Grove City College, 2013

THESIS

Submitted to the University of New Hampshire
In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Science
In
Civil Engineering

December, 2016
This thesis has been examined and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering by:

Thesis Director, Dr. M. Robin Collins
Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Dr. Thomas P. Ballestero
Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Dr. James P. Malley Jr.
Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering

On August 18, 2016

Original approval signatures are on file with the University of New Hampshire Graduate School.

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This thesis is dedicated to all of the loved ones who have supported me through my years of
study.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost I would like to acknowledge the United States EPA for providing funding for
this work (EPA-G2013-STAR-G1) through the DeRISK Center at the University of Colorado at
Boulder.
I would like to thank my thesis advisor Dr. M. Robin Collins for all of the time and resources he
spent with me on this project.
I also want to thank my committee members, Dr. Thomas Ballestero and Dr. James Malley for
the time they spent reviewing and critiquing both my thesis and my knowledge on the subject at
hand.
A special thank you to the staff of the NE-WTTAC, Damon Burt, Peter Dwyer, and Kellen
Sawyer. Thank you for all of the assistance constructing my experimental setups, analyzing
numerous samples, and helping to determine the path of the research.
I want to thank my numerous undergraduate research assistants: Paige Taber, Ali Adair, Neil
Thomas, and Pedro Italo De Lima Machado. Your assistance and conversation was much
needed.
Thank you to my fellow graduate students Brianna Wentworth and Anthony Guidice for
furthering the ideas of this research.
I would like to thank Dr. David Berlinsky, Linas Kenter and the staff of the UNH/Durham
Drinking Water Treatment Plant for allowing me to use their facilities to house various portions
of my research setups.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................... v
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................... viii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... ix
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................... xv
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Gravel Roughing Filtration .............................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Algae ................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Research Goals .................................................................................................................................. 4
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Roughing Filtration .......................................................................................................................... 7
2.1.1 Orientation .................................................................................................................................. 8
2.1.2 Performance ............................................................................................................................. 11
2.2 Green and Yellow-Green Algae ..................................................................................................... 12
2.2.1 Growing in Laboratory Setting .............................................................................................. 15
2.2.2 Nuisance in Drinking Water Treatment ................................................................................ 16
2.3 Challenge Constituents ................................................................................................................... 18
2.3.1 Kaolinite Clay ........................................................................................................................... 18
2.3.2 E. coli ......................................................................................................................................... 19
2.3.3 Natural Organic Matter .......................................................................................................... 19
3. METHODS AND MATERIALS ........................................................................................................ 21
3.1 Algae Cultivation and Seeding ....................................................................................................... 21
3.1.1 Filamentous Algae Setups ....................................................................................................... 22
3.1.2 Suspended Algae Setups .......................................................................................................... 25
3.1.3 Water Sources and Growth Nutrients.................................................................................... 28
3.1.4 Light and Temperature ........................................................................................................... 29
3.1.5 Transfer Methods ..................................................................................................................... 30
3.2 Filamentous Algae Study ................................................................................................................ 30
3.2.1 Setup .......................................................................................................................................... 31
3.2.2 Algal Seeding ............................................................................................................................ 33
3.2.3 E. coli Challenge ....................................................................................................................... 33
3.2.4 Algae Assessment ..................................................................................................................... 34
3.2.5 Filamentous Algae Batch Experiment .................................................................................... 34
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3.3 Bench-Scale Coated Media Study .................................................................................................. 35
3.3.1 Column Setup ........................................................................................................................... 35
3.3.2 Recirculation Setup .................................................................................................................. 35
3.3.3 Recirculation Stock Solution ................................................................................................... 37
3.3.4 Challenge Setup ........................................................................................................................ 37
3.3.5 Challenge Stock Solution ......................................................................................................... 39
3.4 Field-Scale Horizontal Roughing Filter ........................................................................................ 39
3.4.1 Filter Setup ............................................................................................................................... 41
3.4.2 Ripening and Monitoring ........................................................................................................ 45
3.5 Analytical Methods, Analyses, and QA/QC ................................................................................ 45
3.5.1 Chlorophyll-a ............................................................................................................................ 46
3.5.2 E. coli MPN ............................................................................................................................... 47
3.5.3 Turbidity ................................................................................................................................... 47
3.5.4 TOC/DOC ................................................................................................................................. 47
3.5.5 UV .......................................................................................................................................... 48
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3.5.6 pH .............................................................................................................................................. 48
3.5.7 Temperature ............................................................................................................................. 48
3.5.8 Dissolved Oxygen ..................................................................................................................... 48
3.5.9 Hardness and Alkalinity .......................................................................................................... 48
3.5.10 Conductivity ........................................................................................................................... 49
3.5.11 QA/QC .................................................................................................................................... 49
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 51
4.1 Assessing Algae Cultivation Techniques ....................................................................................... 51
4.1.1 Filamentous Algae .................................................................................................................... 51
4.1.2 Suspended Algae ...................................................................................................................... 62
4.2 Filamentous Algae Enhancement Study ....................................................................................... 68
4.2.1 Downflow Gravel Roughing Filter Study .............................................................................. 68
4.2.2 Filamentous Algae Adsorption Experiment .......................................................................... 74
4.2.3 Further Studies with Filamentous Algae ............................................................................... 76
4.3 Coated Media Batch Study............................................................................................................. 79
4.3.1 Challenges with NOM .............................................................................................................. 79
4.3.2 Challenges with Kaolinite Clay ............................................................................................... 90
4.4 Horizontal Roughing Filter Field Study ..................................................................................... 101
4.4.1 Filter Ripening and Operation .............................................................................................. 102
4.4.2 Filter Performance ................................................................................................................. 104
5. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................ 107
5.1 Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 107
5.2 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 109
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5.3 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 110
References ................................................................................................................................................ 113
Appendix A – Standard Operating Procedures ................................................................................... 116
Appendix B – Raw Data and Statistics .................................................................................................. 139

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Recommended Water Quality Parameters for Slow Sand Filtration
(AWWA/ASCE, 1998) ......................................................................................................... 2
Table 1.2 Typical Gravel Roughing Filter Design Characteristics (Wegelin, 1988) ............... 2
Table 2.1 Gravel Roughing Filter Performance (Wegelin, 1988) ........................................... 11
Table 3.1 Summary of Experimental Phases ............................................................................ 21
Table 3.2 GTk Growth Medium for Freshwater Species ........................................................ 29
Table 3.3 Gravel Sieve Analysis for HRF ................................................................................. 43
Table 3.4 Summary of Sample Preservation, Container Type, and Holding Times ............ 50
Table 4.1 Summary of Optimal Growing Conditions for Algae Used during
this Research....................................................................................................................... 68
Table 4.2 Filter Amendments..................................................................................................... 69
Table 4.3 Pilot-Scale GRF Challenge Constant Water Quality Parameters ......................... 71
Table 4.4 Chlorophyll-a Values for NOM Challenge Control Filter Columns ..................... 89
Table 4.5 Chlorophyll-a Values for Algae and Kaolinite Clay Slurry Coated Media
Turbidity Challenges ......................................................................................................... 94
Table 4.6 Chlorophyll-a Values for Shredded Ulothrix sp. Coated Media Turbidity
Challenges ........................................................................................................................... 97
Table 4.7 Chlorophyll-a Values for Scenedesmus sp. and Mg(OH) Coated Media
2
Challenges ......................................................................................................................... 100

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Typical Roughing Filter Configurations (Wegelin et al., 1991) ............................. 9
Figure 2.2 Novel Course-Media Roughing Filter Configurations .......................................... 10
Figure 2.3 Microscope View (100x) of Scenedesmus sp. .......................................................... 15
Figure 3.1 Filamentous Algae Specimen from Carolina Biological Supply Co..................... 22
Figure 3.2 Initial Filamentous and Suspended Algae Growing Setup ................................... 22
Figure 3.3 Picture of Initial Setup for Filamentous and Suspended Algae Cultivation ....... 23
Figure 3.4 Schematic of Flow-Through Algae Growing Setup ............................................... 24
Figure 3.5 Flow-Through Filamentous Algae Growing Setup................................................ 25
Figure 3.6 Schematic for Gas Washing Bottle Setup for Small Batch Suspended
Algae .................................................................................................................................... 26
Figure 3.7 Picture of Gas Washing Bottle Setup with Algae at Different Levels of
Development ....................................................................................................................... 26
Figure 3.8 Schematic of 25 Liter Carboy Setup ....................................................................... 27
Figure 3.9 Clear Carboy Setup Growing Scenedesmus sp. for Use in the HRF
Field Study .......................................................................................................................... 28
Figure 3.10 Objects Used to Improve the Transfer Process for Filamentous
Algae Seeding. Note, the Stainless Steel Machine Screw on the Mesh was to
Aid in Handling. ................................................................................................................. 30
Figure 3.11 Schematic for the Filamentous Algae Pilot Study ............................................... 32
Figure 3.12 Gravel Filters for the Filamentous Algae Pilot Study. Note: Setup
in the Picture is Operating on Surface Water ................................................................. 32
Figure 3.13 Schematic for the Filter Media Ripening Phase of the Column Study .............. 36
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