ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the removal of two heavy metals, iron and manganese, within a rotating biological contactor (RBC) wastewater treatment system. The effects of these metals on the RBC treatment process, in addition to their accumulation within the biofilm are studied. The chapter discusses the materials and methods used to determine the effects of these metals. Essentially, iron was found in significantly higher concentrations than manganese in the biofilm on the discs in the first two stages of the reactor. Mean soluble iron and manganese removals were 98% and 86%, respectively, over the entire period of operation. The biofilm on the discs with large amounts of accumulated iron appeared amorphous and organisms were obscured by the iron that had been deposited. In conclusion, results indicate that the RBC treatment process was efficient in removing the metal concentrations applied with very little simultaneous decline in soluble Chemical oxygen demand removal.
