Author Question: What are the principles involved in removing biological nutrients from waste, and what is ... (Read 54 times)

jeatrice · **on:** Jul 15, 2018

What are the principles involved in removing biological nutrients from waste, and what is accomplished by doing so? Where do nitrogen and phosphate go in the process?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Suppose you are the head of an island nation with a poor, growing population and the natural resources of the island are being degraded.

What kinds of policies would you initiate, and what help would you ask for to try to provide a better, sustainable future for your nation's people?

14vl19 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 15, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Biological nutrient removal is the removal of the dissolved inorganic material (also called biological nutrients) from wastewater. This process removes the nutrients that can cause cultural eutrophication. For the biological removal of nitrogen . . . the activated-sludge system is partitioned into zones, and the environment in each zone is controlled in a manner that promotes the denitrifying process. The nitrogen is released to the atmosphere. In an environment that is rich in oxygen, but relatively lacking in food . . . bacteria take up phosphate from solution and store it in their bodies. Thus phosphate is removed as the excess organisms are removed from the system.

Answer to Question 2

The important points are that all actions need to result in the population living within the resources available. The policies suggested will probably include methods to limit population growth, methods to conserve resources, and methods to decrease each individual's impact on the natural resources of the island.