Kompaktni vlaknotvorni polimeri v sistemih biološkega čiščenja odpadnih vod - opredelitev interakcije in uporabnost (Slovene)

Reduction of pollutants by means of compact fibre-forming polymer materials, which operate as filters and alternative biomass supports in biofilter with fixed biomass is a very complex process that includes various biological, biochemical and biotechnological factors. They were be properly analysed during the proposed project. Compact fibre-forming materials suitable for biological treatment systems must have appropriate physical-mechanical properties (breaking strength, thickness, mass, flexibility, surface charge, etc.), permeability (also after long-term operation), resistance on biological degradation, mechanical usage and different pollutants, what were researched and evaluated during the project. Applicability of developed polymer materials for wastewater treatment was chemometrically evaluated by basic statistic methods and chosen techniques of multivariant analyses such as method of principal component analysis (PCA), and linear discriminant analysis with the intention to establish the impact of individual variable (type and characteristics of fibre-forming polymeric materials, wastewater composition, hydraulic parameters, biofilter construction, etc.) as well as originality of data handling. The obtained research results were contributed to a better fundamental knowledge of processes in the micro ecosystems of individual fibre-forming material, and reactions that occur in various systems (correlation between reactivity, structure and surface properties) as well as applicable knowledge (employability of new stable structures and test methods, and development of new biotechnological processes of pollutants removal from wastewaters) in this field. The results of the proposed project were published in 4 original scientific papers in international reviews with journal citation report (JCR) and in 7 presentations at conferences world-wide sharing the experiences and ideas in the field of environmental protection. Also, the procedure of wastewater treatment using combined biofilter was described in a Slovenian patent application. Moreover, the possibility for submitting research proposals for bilateral programmes and EU funding programmes is enhanced.

Biological treatment with fixed biomass has certain advantages before others wastewaters treatment procedures since the microorganisms are the part of natural ecosystem, and extra loading with waste mud do not turning up. Advantages of biofilter in comparison to the other biological treatment plants are a low-cost (investment and operational) and simple realization. The most important benefit of the proposed project was the permanent development of inexpensive, easily operated, and environmentally-friendly procedure over the long-term, thus assuring the efficacious reduction of pollution parameters from wastewaters. On the basis of the theoretical proficiency and experimental results of the proposed research work, the commercialization and market potential of the obtained knowledge is feasible due to the direct transfer of bioremediation during industrial usage. Moreover, we could advise in the selection of appropriate fibre-forming materials, depending on the composition, amount of wastewater, and daily loading rate, respectively. Bioremediation techniques are social acceptable on account of their enlarged environmentally sensitiveness, and are convenient for small communities as well as for tertiary treatment in larger city systems. Disadvantages of co-natural procedures are relatively slow operation in comparison to the conventional technologies for wastewaters treatment and highly dependence on environmental factors (temperature, pH, biomass growth, toxicity of compounds in wastewater, etc.). We could also find a potential applicability of selected compact fiber-forming polymers on the field of incorporation in exsisting systems, and for construction of permeable water barriers for protection of underground water, water stem and others ecological sensitive water ecosystems prior to the influent of hazardous waters.